Any ideas why I’m having headaches after my first hard dry fast (48h)? It’s now been over 48h since I broke the fast. I’m also less energetic and I have difficulties to fall a sleep.
Fasting increases cortisol, which worsens sleep. Its good to exercise to combat this. As for the headache, your body is craving electrolytes (especially sodium + potassium). Put some Himalayan pink salt and some potassium (No Salt is a good brand) into your water when you re-hydrate. Electrolytes are half of the hydration and you’ll see a lot of people in this sub reddit calling that “Snake Juice”. Lacking these things give you headaches and WAY less energy. It is what the entire fasting community gets wrong while they fast.
We have this false idea that reducing sodium will lower blood pressure, but it actually raises it in the long term. Your body can make its own water, but it cannot make its own sodium.
Once you become more fasting adapted, your body will minimize its response to the lack of these things and it will get better. Still EXTREMELY important to get these electrolytes end before starting another fast, otherwise you’ll end up on an IV in the hospital.