There is some evidence that eating a balanced diet promotes restful
sleep, but experts say many of the specifics are still unknown.
You already know that your food choices can have a direct impact on your ability
to sleep if you've ever toss and turned in bed after a spicy meal caused reflux
or some deep-fried food caused gas.
However, is there sufficient data for doctors to advise patients on what
to eat to facilitate restful sleep?
According to Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, an associate professor of
nutritional medicine at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New
York City whose work examines the connection between sleep, diet, and
cardiometabolic disease, "there is some credible research that has looked
at various foods in relation to sleep." There is evidence that certain
eating habits or diets may also aid in promoting better sleep, in addition to a
few particular foods.
Just What is Nutrition?
Food and other ingredients that give the body energy and allow it to
function properly make up nutrition. Magnesium, vitamins, and other minerals
make up the bulk of human nutrition.
• Macronutrients - The National Agricultural Library, one of the five
national libraries of the United States, is home to one of the largest
collections in the world devoted to agriculture and its related sciences, which
include fats, carbohydrates, proteins, and amino acids. It also contains
information on fiber, water, and other macronutrients.
There are 13 essential vitamins, and Vitamins - Plus is an online
resource for patients, their families, and friends to find health information.
Vitamins play specific roles in a variety of bodily processes.
• Several minerals are required to power various bodily systems. Medline
Plus is an online health information resource for patients, their families, and
friends. Depending on how much of a mineral we require, it is either classified
as a macromineral or a trace mineral.
A balanced macronutrient intake as well as the required amounts of
vitamins and minerals are required for proper nutrition. While food provides
the majority of our nutrition, there are other sources as well, including
beverages and dietary supplements.
How Diet affects Sleep
Although the saying "you are what you eat" may be overused, it
captures the idea that nutrition is essential to good health because it gives
us the energy we need and other nutrients that enable the body to function
properly. the connections between diet and factors like heart health, diabetes,
and obesity. Many people are aware that the National Center for Biotechnology
Information advances science and health by providing access to biomedical and
genomic information, but few are aware that their diet can also affect sleep.
What Diet Plan Is the Most Sleep-Friendly?
Generally speaking, a balanced diet that consists primarily of a variety
of fruits and vegetables can offer a wide range of vitamins and minerals, which
can improve sleep and support a healthy weight.
It is difficult to conduct studies that conclusively show a single diet
that is best for sleep because sleep and nutrition are extremely complex and
involve multiple interconnected systems of the body. It appears that getting
enough nutrition without overindulging in unhealthy foods is more crucial.
A growing body of research suggests that getting enough nutrients is
crucial for restful sleep.
According to a significant study, sleep issues are linked to a deficiency
in important nutrients like calcium, magnesium, and the vitamins A, C, D, E,
and K. By making biomedical and genomic data accessible, the National Center
for Biotechnology Information advances both science and health. This study
supports the possibility that diet influences hormonal pathways, even though it
cannot prove cause-and-effect.
This type of nutritional balance can be found in many different diets,
some of which have also been more thoroughly examined in terms of their impact
on sleep. For instance, the Mediterranean Diet, a plant-based eating plan that
includes lean meats and high-fiber foods, has been shown to improve heart
health and sleep quality. It is a resource for patients, their families, and
friends seeking online health information.
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, or DASH, focuses on
whole foods with high levels of fiber, potassium, and magnesium and reduces
salt and saturated fat intake. It is an online health information resource for
patients, their families, and friends.
Despite the fact that the DASH diet was intended to lower blood pressure,
research has shown that those who adhere to it religiously typically report
getting better sleep. It's critical for anyone considering embarking on a new
diet to consult with a doctor or nutritionist who can review their nutrition
plan and discuss its advantages and disadvantages in light of their unique
circumstances. This is because dietary changes have an impact on a variety of
bodily systems. It will take more study to determine the advantages of various
diets for sleep and to compare how well they affect it.
Can a Poor Diet Cause Sleep Disorder?
Some sleep issues are directly related to sleep disorders. Obstructive
sleep apnea (OSA), which affects breathing and frequently wakes people up at
night, is one of the most severe sleep disorders. Being overweight is a major
risk factor for OSA, which means that a poor diet that increases body weight
can either cause or exacerbate this sleep disorder.
Alcohol is known to exacerbate obstructive sleep apnea by further
lowering airway muscle tone throughout the night. This causes an increase in
upper airway obstruction while you sleep.
Nutritional Effects of Sleep
For the body to work properly, sleep is necessary. It enables the brain
and body to rest and recover, and mounting evidence supports its importance in
preserving proper nutrition and a healthy body weight.
In numerous studies, a higher risk of obesity has been linked to
insufficient sleep. Lack of sleep has also been linked to a larger waist
circumference, which is thought to be a concerning sign of numerous
cardiovascular issues.
According to numerous studies, people who don't get enough sleep are more
likely to increase their food intake without also increasing their energy
expenditure. Making matters worse, lack of sleep also seems to encourage a
preference for high-calorie foods that provide little nutritional value and
increase the likelihood of weight gain.
These poor dietary decisions linked to inadequate sleep are thought to be
driven by a number of hormones. The mission of Annals of Internal Medicine is
to advance standards in the conduct and reporting of medical research, promote
excellence in medicine, enable physicians and other health care professionals
to be well-informed members of the medical community and society, and contribute
to improving the health of people all over the world.
Lack of sleep may also affect other brain chemicals that influence how we
make food decisions. Furthermore, it is well-known that lack of sleep impairs
memory, judgment, and mood, all of which can have an impact on the kinds of
foods we choose to eat on a daily basis.
Does Sleep Aid in Weight Loss Work?
A well-rounded weight loss plan can benefit from getting the recommended
number of hours of good sleep each night. The mission of Annals of Internal Medicine
is to advance standards in the conduct and reporting of medical research,
promote excellence in medicine, and contribute to improving the health of
people all over the world. Research has shown that people who are trying to
lose weight have better results when they get enough sleep. By enabling you to
wake up more energized and refreshed, getting enough sleep can help you avoid
overeating and encourage more physical activity.
How Can I Get Better Sleep and Nutrition?
Speaking with your doctor is a good place to start if you want to improve
your sleep and diet. Your doctor can identify your sleep problems, including
any potential sleep disorders, and suggest the best nutrition strategy for you.
The majority of people can sleep better by improving their sleep hygiene,
which includes their sleeping environment and routines. Maintaining a regular
sleep schedule is a key aspect of good sleep hygiene, and many people discover
that it can prevent them from dragging out bedtime. This step may be advantageous
for both sleep and nutrition because studies have shown that a late sleep
schedule is associated with a higher risk of weight gain.
Giving yourself enough time to unwind and get ready for bed is another
aspect of good sleep hygiene. This entails staying away from foods and
beverages that can interfere with falling asleep, such as spicy foods and
coffee. Eating too late at night, which can disrupt sleep, has also been found
to be detrimental to weight loss efforts.
Other ways to improve your sleep hygiene include making sure your bedroom
is quiet and dark, abstaining from screen time for at least an hour before bed,
having a comfortable mattress and bedding, and making an effort to get some
daylight and moderate exercise each day.
Do Particular Foods You Consume During the Day Affect.
Can Certain Foods Better for Sleep?
For instance, research demonstrates a connection between tart cherries
and kiwis and better sleep.
According to a study from Taiwan, people who ate two kiwis about an hour
before bed for four weeks fell asleep 14 minutes faster and slept 40 minutes
longer than people who did not eat any kiwis. Another British study discovered
that people who drank 8 ounces of tart cherry juice twice daily—30 minutes
after waking up and again 30 minutes before dinner—slept longer and more
"efficiently" than those who drank a placebo cherry drink.
Dr. St-Onge claims that kiwi and tart cherries both contain melatonin,
which might be the cause of these foods' ability to promote sleep. The hormone
melatonin, which the body produces naturally to help control the sleep-wake
cycle, plays a role in this process. Other foods and supplements that contain
it are listed below.
Although St-Onge is quick to point out that more research is required,
she believes that eating foods high in melatonin at specific times of the day
may help improve sleep. (Neither study examined whether consumption of tart
cherry juice or kiwis actually altered participants' melatonin levels).
So, should you stock up on kiwis and tart cherry juice if you're having
trouble sleeping? There's probably no harm in trying these out, but at this
time, sleep experts aren't advising patients to use them. However, the study is
important because it supports the hypothesis that melatonin-rich foods might
increase melatonin levels in the body, which would improve sleep.
Other melatonin-containing foods may also aid in the promotion of sleep,
according to some of St-Onge's own research findings. These include a variety
of dairy products, such as milk from cows that were milked at night when their
milk may contain more melatonin than usual. But once more, she emphasizes that
additional studies are necessary to definitively determine how consuming foods
high in melatonin can affect sleep. Nevertheless, there are other, more
pronounced connections between diet and sleep.
Do Some Diets Promote Better Sleep?
A Mediterranean-style diet has been associated with better sleep,
according to research. According to one study, people's overall sleep quality
increased in proportion to how well they performed on a test meant to gauge
their adherence to the Mediterranean diet.
As you are likely already aware, a Mediterranean diet is one that
emphasizes plant-based foods like fish, whole grains, olive oil, and dairy
products, as well as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and seeds. It also includes a
limited amount of alcohol. Red meat and refined carbohydrates are also
typically avoided.
St-Onge has also studied sleep and the Mediterranean diet. In one study,
she and her colleagues examined dietary and sleeping information gathered from
more than 2,000 people. According to her, "we found that higher adherence
to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a decreased risk of short sleep
and insomnia symptoms."
It was an observational study, so the only thing it looked for was links
between diet and sleep. It cannot be determined whether adopting a
Mediterranean diet would result in better sleep. But St-Onge asserts that a few
components of the Mediterranean diet may be responsible for its associations
with better sleep. She claims that this diet typically contains low levels of
sugar and a lot of fiber. Her analysis of the data revealed that "higher
fiber consumption is associated with more deep sleep and less light sleep, and
consuming less sugar is associated with fewer nighttime awakenings. ".
She emphasizes the need for more research to clarify how exactly these
diet components may improve sleep quality. However, of all the diets available,
the Mediterranean diet is arguably the one that has been most consistently
linked with good health outcomes and low rates of disease. And since obesity,
diabetes, and other health problems have all been connected in various ways to
poor sleep, it stands to reason that a healthy diet may help promote sound
sleep.
How Insufficient Sleep Affects Eating Habits
Poor sleep has been linked in several studies to an increase in cravings
for junk food. For instance, one study discovered that women's hunger, food
cravings, and portion sizes when eating the following day increased when their
sleep time was reduced by 33 percent.
Brain scans were used in a different study to reveal that people who had
been sleep deprived for a full day had decreased activity in the areas of the
brain that control appetite and self-control. The authors of that study
observed increased "food desirability" at the same time as other
brain regions were more active.
According to St-Onge, "We know very well that inadequate sleep
affects food preferences," citing studies showing that this occurs when we
observe people's behavior in sleep-restricted environments and studies
examining the brain activity of sleep-deprived individuals.
St-Onge has also done research in this area. In one of her studies, she
and her colleagues describe how the reward centers of the brain, which react to
the food we find pleasurable, were more active after a night of poor sleep,
whereas the parts of the brain that help control hunger and willpower were more
active after a night of good sleep.
Sleep also had an impact on dietary decisions. "They ate more fat
and saturated fat, and they found these foods more pleasurable," she
claims of those who were sleep deprived. To put it another way, when we are
tired, our brains seem to be more prone to temptations involving food.
She points out that previous studies have connected sleep deprivation to
higher intakes of fat and carbohydrates, respectively, and that it's possible
that poor sleep causes some hunger-related hormones to rise or fall, which may
help explain these effects.
Clearly, there are connections between what a person eats and how they
sleep, so what are we to make of all this? And according to St-Onge, this
relationship probably goes both ways; that is, a person's food choices affect
their sleep, and vice versa. However, it's challenging to specify exactly what
(or how) a person should eat in order to improve their sleep at this time.
According to St-Onge, "I believe that this field is currently in its
infancy.". It seems like a good way to improve your quality of sleep is to
follow a balanced, plant-based diet. However, there are still a lot of details
that are unknown.
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