Many of us experience those sleepless nights, lying awake and unable to quiet our racing thoughts. While an occasional restless night is typically nothing to worry about, frequent struggles with falling asleep or waking up more fatigued than before may indicate issues within your daily routine.
One key area that could be affecting your sleep is your diet. According to Sophie Bertrand, the nutritionist at Abbott’s Lingo—a wearable device that monitors glucose levels continuously—indicates that dietary choices, including what and when you eat, can significantly influence your sleep patterns.
“It’s advisable to finish your last meal two to three hours before bedtime,” Bertrand recommends. “Eating too close to sleep can lead to spikes in glucose and insulin levels, which can hinder the release of growth hormones and signal wakefulness to the body.”
While timing is crucial, the type of foods consumed before bedtime and throughout the day is equally important.
1. Consider what you eat in the evening
Bertrand advises prioritizing meals with a low Glycaemic Index (GI) for dinner. These foods produce a gradual increase in blood sugar rather than causing abrupt spikes.
Low GI foods are often recommended for those managing diabetes or focusing on weight control. Foods are ranked on a scale of 1-100, with scores of 55 or below categorized as low GI.
- Lentils, chickpeas, and beans
- Wild rice, brown rice, and quinoa
- Broccoli, zucchini, and leafy greens
- Chicken, tofu, fish, or eggs
If you use a continuous glucose monitor during the night, you may notice spikes and drops while you sleep, suggesting your body may have difficulty regulating glucose levels.
“Nighttime glucose spikes can disrupt sleep, leading to restlessness and poor REM sleep,” Bertrand warns. “Conversely, low glucose levels during the night can trigger a stress hormone response, disturb restorative sleep, and result in daytime fatigue if it occurs often.”
If you do not have a monitor, try keeping track of your sleep, food intake, and the timing of your meals to identify any correlations affecting your sleep quality.
2. Incorporate magnesium-rich foods
If you often struggle with sleep, magnesium supplements might have been suggested to you, but it’s worth noting that you can also obtain magnesium through your diet.
“Magnesium serves to regulate neurotransmitters that calm the nervous system,” explains Bertrand.
Incorporating magnesium-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, spinach, or almonds into your meals can enhance relaxation and lower cortisol levels known to disrupt sleep.
“Magnesium may alleviate that ‘tired but wired’ feeling that many experience when unable to sleep,” adds Bertrand.
3. Consider your nutrition throughout the day
You’ve successfully swapped high GI foods at dinner and ensured you don’t eat too close to bedtime, but what about your dietary habits throughout the day? According to Bertrand, this aspect is equally important.
“Quality sleep begins at breakfast. Frequent glucose spikes and dips during the day can keep your stress hormones elevated,” she states.
Elevated cortisol levels can hinder the body’s ability to produce melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep, thus affecting both the duration and quality of your rest.
If you’re a coffee enthusiast, Bertrand recommends understanding your tolerance level.
“Caffeine blocks adenosine, a chemical that makes you feel drowsy, making it more challenging to enter deep sleep. The effects of caffeine can linger, impacting your sleep recovery,” she explains.
Individual responses to caffeine vary; some can enjoy a mid-afternoon coffee with no issues, while for others, consuming caffeine after noon can severely disrupt sleep. If you’re finding it hard to catch some Z’s, try having your last coffee earlier in the day to see if it makes a difference.
In conclusion, the interplay between diet and sleep is significant. By being mindful of what you eat and when, you can improve your sleep quality and overall well-being. Take small steps toward enhancing your nutritional choices, and you may find rejuvenation comes more easily.
