Eat Your Way to Better Sleep

Eat your way to better sleep. It sounds unlikely doesn’t it? Insomnia and poor sleep have risen and risen during the course of this pandemic. Weight gain and poor sleep have gripped many of us. Curvy/ cuddly is a great look. This article is about health only, if you are happy and healthy, size is not the issue but its good to know just how much body, mind and sleep health are all bed mates. This article takes a look at.

• How sleep can impact your diet.

• Some examples of how diet impacts your sleep.

• Links for advice and inspiration

• List of foods that aid sleep

How sleep can impact your diet

It’s not just about the burning of calories while we sleep.

•  Sleep lowers cortisol levels in our body (the stress hormone that leads to weight gain, esp. belly fat) less cortisol = less cravings.
• Good sleep helps us make wiser decisions when it comes to food choices. Less likely to give in to cravings for unhealthy food.
• the more belly fat we have the more unbalanced our appetite regulating leptin and ghrelin hormones become.

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•  Protein – Too much protein in the evening or night stimulates the brain and lowers your ability to sleep and its quality. It’s hard to digest. Better deep sleep is good for muscle growth, so if your working out , less protein might give you better results.
•  Fat, sugar, salt – Cooking oils, processed meats, cakes and all can worsen inflammation in your body. Chronic inflammation as in fibromyalgia can be too painful to sleep through and stress you out. You miss out on getting enough Rapid Eye Movement (dreaming) sleep. REM sleep releases endorphins, which are not only great for anxiety but pain relievers as well.

Foods to Aid Sleep

The keyword for this list is moderation! Its also worth bearing in mind to not eat or drink a few hours before bed.

It’s also worth bearing in mind to not eat or drink a few hours before bed. Research suggests that having our largest meal in the morning can support better sleep. 

Eating less often and earlier in the day promotes a healthy BMI, new study finds – Diabetes

 Eating tryptophan helps us make serotonin, a relaxing, anti-anxiety neurotransmitter. Calcium, Magnesium and potassium boost serotonin and help us stay asleep. Our bodies use serotonin to make melatonin. Melatonin controls our sleep cycles.  .Here are some foods with those magic ingredients.

So certain foods in certain amounts can help or hinder sleep. You can optimize the best diet for yourself to maximize your quality of life. Consult a nutritionist or your GP if you have any  concerns. Some foods will actively support sleep as part of a balanced diet. Moderation is key and looking after your nutrition will help you get the quality nights rest you deserve.

Why not give your mind that welcome rest?  It will help you improve your nutrition and ultimately improve your sleep.

For Reference

Effects of Diet on Sleep Quality (nih.gov)

Frontiers | Diet and Sleep Physiology: Public Health and Clinical Implications | Neurology (frontiersin.org)

Sleep Inducing Foods – Study Shows Potassium Helps with Deeper Sleep -Nutrition Breakthroughs

The Gut-Brain Axis Explained in Plain English | Diet vs Disease

Klok MD, Jakobsdottir S, Drent ML. The role of leptin and ghrelin in the regulation of food intake and body weight in humans: a review. Obes Rev. 2007 Jan;8(1):21-34. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2006.00270.x. PMID: 17212793.

Eating less often and earlier in the day promotes a healthy BMI, new study finds – Diabetes

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