You know the scenario, it’s 2am and you can’t get the wheels in your brain to stop turning. Before you know it the alarm clock sounds and it’s time to get up and start the day. Turns out you’re not alone – one in four Americans suffer from insomnia each year, and only about 75% actually ever recover. Since sleep is essential for optimal living and well being, clocking 7+ hours each night should be on the top of your priority list. And since studies show lack of sleep leads to eating more, and eating more contributes to lack of sleep, the cycle can be hard to break. Rest assured, here are some simple diet tweaks and foods you can add to your daily routine to help you get more Zzz’s.
Could What You Eat Be the Secret to Better Sleep?
How we eat, and how much, is a direct relation to the quality and duration of sleep we get each night. If you’re someone who suffers from GERD (gastroesophageal reflux) you know that eating heavy foods too close to bedtime will leave you up in the middle of the night with acid reflux. And if you’re someone who relies on caffeine to keep you going during the day, this too could keep you up at night.
A closer look at the three macronutrients – protein, carbohydrate, and fats – can provide insight as to how nutrition can impact your sleep. Protein provides the body with fuel for many important cellular functions, as well as building and repairing muscle, supporting fat loss, and keeping you full and satisfied longer. Carbohydrate provides energy for the day; and dietary fats are required for transporting essential nutrients to cells. Some research has shown that reducing your daily carb intake too much can contribute to insomnia; while a low protein diet was also associated with poor quality sleep. Overall a diet rich in whole grains, lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables has been shown to promote better sleep.
On the flip side, if you don’t get enough sleep each night, the hunger hormone (leptin) ramps up causing you to want to eat more! The lack of sleep, eat more, then sleep worse cycle continues.
Five Foods to Help You Get a Better Night’s Sleep
Ever feel sleepy after eating? There may be nutrients in some of the foods you eat that can promote a better night’s sleep! Pay attention to these foods to eat before bedtime:
Tryptophan-rich foods - The amino acid tryptophan is used to make serotonin and melatonin, both influential hormones for better sleep. Include tryptophan rich foods in your diet such as salmon, chicken, turkey, eggs, spinach, milk, seeds, cheese, pineapple, tofu, and nuts.
Magnesium-rich foods – Magnesium is a common mineral that takes part in a number of sleep promoting activities including helping you to fall asleep, helps improve sleep quality, helps relieve anxiety and depression, and can help your body and brain relax to fall asleep more quickly; while a diet lacking magnesium can contribute to interrupted sleep. Magnesium rich foods include avocado, dark chocolate, lentils, beans, chickpeas, peas, soybeans, tofu, seeds, whole grains, bananas, leafy green vegetables, and fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and halibut.
Gaba – GABA is an amino acid produced naturally in the brain and functions as a neurotransmitter, carrying information among cells. GABA has an effect on the brain’s activity facilitating sleep by allowing the brain and mind to relax. Low GABA has been associated with insomnia and poor quality sleep. Foods to help you sleep that are rich in GABA include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts), soy beans, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, buckwheat, peas, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, sprouted grains, brown rice, and white tea.
L-Theanine – an amino acid most commonly found in tea leaves and mushrooms, l-theanine is has been shown to promote relaxation and contribute to an improved sleep quality. Get better sleep by having a cup of l-theanine rich tea (white tea, green tea, black tea, etc.) before bed.
Chamomile Tea – Chamomile has been widely used to help people calm down, relax and unwind before bed. Chamomile’s sleep inducing effects may be attributed to an antioxidant called apigenin, which has been shown to bind to receptors in the brain relieving anxiety and initiating sleep. A warm cup of chamomile in the evenings can help you get to sleep sooner; give it a try!
Other Tips to Help You Sleep
Set up your environment for sleep - create a dark room, eliminate blue light emitting devices before bedtime, adjust the temperature so you’re not too hot or too cold, turn on a sound machine, etc.
Try ten minutes of meditation before bedtime. Tuning in to your inner self can help relieve stress and anxiety while promoting those sleepy, relaxation feelings. There are a number of Apps that can help you get started with meditation for free.
Find ways to relieve stress and anxiety - sometimes writing in a journal to get out your thoughts, or taking a hot bath before bed will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Stick to a sleep/wake routine - our bodies function better on schedules and routines, even when it comes to sleep. Aim to go to bed around the same time every night, and wake up around the same time every morning. Doing so will promote better quality sleep, will help you fall asleep faster, and feel more alert and awake throughout the day.
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