Better Nutrition Improves Sleep
A 3 minute read
Want more quality sleep? Here’s what to eat and drink (or not).
Sleep difficulties are common and many of do not get enough quality sleep, Good nutrition and good sleep are closely related. If you want more quality sleep, better and strategic nutrition is a good place to start.
Enough quality sleep reduces chronic inflammation and lowers the risk of many chronic diseases. Sleep supports your cognitive health, immune system, exercise performance, and can help you to better manage stress and body weight.
Poor sleep is linked to increased risk for weight gain, larger waist circumference, and obesity. This is partly due to sleep’s impact on appetite hormones, leading to increased hunger and cravings, and decreased feelings of satiety. Lack of sleep also increases levels of stress hormones like cortisol. Higher cortisol levels are linked to more belly fat, insulin resistance and poor sleep.
The ideal amount of sleep for adults is 7-9 hours per night.
Nutrition for better sleep
Sleep and nutrition are closely linked. Poor sleep can increase cravings and hunger. On the other hand, there are several foods and drinks that can impact the quality and amount of sleep you get. Lifestyle and dietary choices, like when to enjoy caffeine, and what foods and drinks promote better sleep (and which do the opposite) are nutrition strategies to consider if you’re trying to get more, better quality sleep.
Be strategic about when to enjoy caffeine.
The reason coffee is so popular in the mornings is because of its proven ability to stimulate the mind and help you feel awake. A proven sleep strategy is to consume caffeine when you wake up and stop drinking it after 12 pm. Everyone has a different caffeine threshold depending on your genes for caffeine detoxification.
A health focused genetic test provides much insight to how your metabolism clears caffeine. Genetics can explain why some are more tolerant of caffeine than others.
Coffee and caffeinated energy drinks are the obvious sources of higher quantities of caffeine, but lots of other foods and drinks contain caffeine in smaller amounts. Many teas, sodas, drinks and chocolate contain some caffeine, so read labels and avoid caffeine after 12 pm.
For many people, caffeine starts to exert its stimulating effects in 30 minutes or less, but those effects can last for 10 hours or more. That’s why I recommend cutting back on caffeine around noon.
Enjoy these nutritious foods and drinks for better sleep (and overall health)
While there isn’t a magical food or drink that helps you get very sleepy very quickly, eating a nutritious diet has a positive effect on sleep quality. These specific foods that can help promote better sleep:
Cherries. Several studies have looked at people who eat cherries and found that eating them may help improve sleep. This sleep effect of cherries is thought to be because they contain serotonin and melatonin, along with phytonutrients (plant-based nutrients).
Melatonin is a natural sleep-inducing neurotransmitter (sometimes called a “sleep hormone”) that helps to set your sleep-wake cycle and tells your brain when to get ready for sleep. Melatonin is made from the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter, serotonin. It is best to avoid (or use with caution) melatonin supplements as these can backfire on you, causing you to wake up too early and/or feel groggy the next day.
Fatty fish. Eating fatty fish is also linked to better sleep. Fish like salmon, mackerel, and trout contain essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as vitamin D. These are thought to influence serotonin secretion, leading to drowsiness.
Poultry. Serotonin and melatonin are made from the amino acid tryptophan. Eating foods that contain tryptophan ensures that it’s readily available when those neurotransmitters are needed to improve mood and induce drowsiness. Foods that contain tryptophan include poultry (chicken and turkey), fish, eggs, dairy (milk and cheese), beans, pumpkin seeds and soy.
Legumes, nuts, and seeds. The essential mineral magnesium is thought to help improve sleep quality. Foods high in magnesium include whole grains, fish, spinach, avocados, legumes, soy products, nuts and seeds.
Herbal teas. Chamomile, Peppermint, Valerian or Lavender teas can promote sleep. Just be mindful of the amount of liquid you consume before bed, so you don’t need to get up for the bathroom. Steep these teas for at least 7 minutes in ~5 ounces water.
Supplements. If you find a sleep promoting supplement, be mindful that many contain diphenhydramine and/or melatonin which I suggest you avoid. I can recommend individualized nutrition, lifestyle, and supplements for better sleep. Book a call here.
Foods and drinks that can disrupt your sleep.
How your body digests and eliminates foods and drinks can also impact your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
For example, your digestion tends to slow down during sleep. For this reason, eating within 3 – 4 hours of bedtime is disrupting to sleep.
Also, if you need to wake up in the night to go to the bathroom often, stop drinking fluids earlier in the day so you can stop drinking an hour or two before bedtime. I suggest you experiment with by stopping fluids at 4 pm to discover how the afternoon timing of fluids impacts when and how often you wake up at night.
Alcohol’s drowsing effect causes major sleep disturbances.
It’s common to feel relaxed and drowsy after a cocktail or glass of wine, but alcohol leads to fragmented sleep. Alcohol suppresses your essential REM sleep and can lead to more vivid dreams and nightmares, sleepwalking and other disruptive sleep disorders, insomnia, and even breathing problems like sleep apnea. In fact, as more alcohol is consumed, sleep quality tends to get worse.
Alcohol adversely affects your body’s physiology and biochemistry:
● Several hours after drinking alcohol, your body releases the stress hormone epinephrine, which is a stimulant that increases heart rate and causes you to wake up.
● People who drink alcohol tend to have more leg movements during sleep and this often wakes them up when they should be sleeping.
● Alcohol can reduce your melatonin (sleep hormone) levels.
● Drinking alcohol can worsen indigestion, heartburn, and the need to wake up to go to the bathroom when you should be sleeping soundly.
If getting more, high quality sleep is important to you, cut down on alcohol—especially before bedtime.
Final thoughts
Sleep is crucial for optimal health and wellness. Many people struggle to get the coveted 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night and don’t wake up feeling refreshed and energized. Good nutrition with being strategic about the timing of meals and drink can help improve sleep.
By making some changes to what and when you eat and drink, you can positively impact your body’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep:
Keep caffeine to the mornings
Enjoy a nutritious diet that includes a few foods to help regulate your sleep
Stop eating 3 -4 hours before bedtime
Cut back on alcohol.
This way you can look forward to waking up rested and recharged while caring for your body and mind.
Need help with nutrition and lifestyle for better sleep? I’d love to help. Book a free call here.
References
Binks, H., E Vincent, G., Gupta, C., Irwin, C., & Khalesi, S. (2020). Effects of Diet on Sleep: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 12(4), 936. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12040936
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230229/
Cleveland Clinic. (2020, June 17). Why you should limit alcohol before bed for better sleep. Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-you-should-limit-alcohol-before-bed-for-better-sleep/
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, May 25). 6 foods that help you sleep. Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/foods-that-help-you-sleep/
Duke Health & Well-being. (2020, August 11). Understanding the connections between sleep and nutrition. https://dhwblog.dukehealth.org/understanding-the-connections-between-sleep-and-nutrition/
Harvard Health Medical School. (2019, August 9). Alcohol and fatigue. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/alcohol-and-fatigue
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Better Sleep: 3 simple diet tweaks. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/better-sleep-3-simple-diet-tweaks
Pan American Health Organization. (2021). Alcohol and sleep: How alcohol can affect your sleep. https://www.paho.org/en/documents/alcohol-series-alcohol-and-sleep-how-alcohol-can-affect-your-sleep
Sejbuk, M., Mirończuk-Chodakowska, I., & Witkowska, A. M. (2022). Sleep Quality: A Narrative Review on Nutrition, Stimulants, and Physical Activity as Important Factors. Nutrients, 14(9), 1912. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091912
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/9/1912
Sleep Foundation. (2023, July 18). Alcohol and sleep. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/alcohol-and-sleep
