Nourish & Rest

How nutrition can improve your sleep

It’s time to have a deep dive into the relationship between nutrition and sleep. Not only is sleep hugely important for both our physical and mental health, but poor sleep can often lead to poor dietary choices – just think back to all those late nights cramming for an exam when your diet consisted of caffeine, snacks and takeaway meals!

Why is sleep important?

We all know we function better with good sleep, but let's look into the actual reasons why.

Sleep helps our bodies repair themselves, produce and regulate hormones, regulate appetite, metabolism and maintain healthy brain function. As well as these benefits, chronic inflammation and insulin resistance have been shown to decrease with good levels of sleep. On the other hand, sleep deprivation has been linked to a variety of health issues including obesity, depression and a weakened immune system.

 Now that we know why sleep is so important – how much is enough? As a general rule, Australian adults should aim for 7-9 hours every night.

So, how can nutrition help with improved sleep habits?

 Appropriate nutrition can make it easier for you to both fall asleep, as well as have a deeper sleep! Easy ways in which you can do this are:

Making sure dinner has some carbohydrates!

Think pasta, rice, potato, corn, bread, cous cous, beans… There are plenty to choose from.

 Research has shown that consuming a meal higher in carbohydrates roughly four hours before bedtime helps individuals fall asleep quicker. This happens through the carbohydrates causing reactions in your body that promote a higher quality of sleep, as well as reducing the effect of the stress hormone, cortisol.

However, it is also important to ensure that your dinner contains some protein and an array of vegetables. If you do choose to consume a carbohydrate-heavy meal for dinner, reducing the carbs from your other meals in the day is a good idea. This could be as simple as having your breakfast and lunch contain smaller carbohydrate portions to balance out having more at dinner.

 
Other foods that can help

Full cream milk, tuna, both white and red meat, oats and cheese are some of the best sources of a valuable sleep-inducing nutrient, called tryptophan. Foods that contain this amino acid will help your body produce hormones like serotonin and melatonin needed for healthy sleep patterns. Here is how it happens:

Serotonin is a chemical that carries messages throughout your body, which is then converted into melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is responsible for inducing sleep. Melatonin does this work by controlling your sleep-wake cycle. It prepares your body to fall asleep by lowering your body temperature and making you drowsy. Most people’s bodies produce adequate melatonin however, if you do have issues with falling asleep and are eating all the right foods, it could be worthwhile to look into how to increase your melatonin levels. There are over-the-counter melatonin products, however if you are under 55, it is recommended you see your GP.

What about magnesium?

Magnesium is a nutrient that is used by the body to help your cells communicate with each other. Your body uses these cells to help regulate your sleep pattern and habits. There is some evidence to show that magnesium may play a minor part in improving your sleep, however it is yet to be fully understood.

If you are eating a balanced diet, you are likely getting enough magnesium to meet your body’s needs. If you suffer from Type 2 Diabetes, a gastrointestinal disorder, alcohol abuse or old age you are more likely to be deficient.

Magnesium is found in foods such as dairy, leafy greens, nuts, legumes & grains, but can also be taken through supplements. As with most things nutrition-related, getting your nutrients from food is the main recommendation. However if your health professional recommends supplements, make sure to choose magnesium glycinate, lactate, malate or citrate as these are the best sources found in supplements!

Limit Caffeine

This one is a bit more obvious. Whilst caffeine can be great to get you going, it can also disrupt your sleep and should be avoided for several hours before falling asleep.

Caffeine increases your body’s level of alertness, focus and energy, which is exactly what we don’t want when trying to fall asleep. Caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours, meaning that it takes this amount of time for the body to process only half of the caffeine that you have consumed. If you have a coffee after lunch, your body could still be feeling the stimulating effects of the caffeine when you’re trying to wind down before bed.

Avoid alcohol

Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down our body and brain. Whilst this will potentially make it easier for us to fall asleep, it also decreases the quality of our sleep. Alcohol interferes with our sleep cycles and prevents our brains from reaching the deepest part of our cycle.

In summary, whilst the nutritional factors discussed above can help with improving the quality of your sleep, other factors like exercise, stress, noise, tv/telephone screens, temperature and light also are important factors to consider.

Written by Andrew Holland for Food Culture