Have you ever wondered how your dinner affects your sleep? Welcome to a fascinating world where you will see the relationship between diet and good sleep. In this blog post, we dive deep into the unique combination of what you eat and how you sleep. Get ready for detailed analyses, tips and tricks that will improve the quality of your sleep.
How sleep affects what we eat:
It turns out that sleep (or lack thereof) can directly affect our food choices. This is because lack of sleep disrupts our hormones, namely leptin and ghrelin, which regulate our hunger and satiety. As a result, we may feel hungrier than usual, less full, and crave sugar-rich foods. When we are tired or our sleep is regularly disturbed, our hunger and feeling full are not so easy to interpret, and we are more likely to eat thoughtlessly than to eat with full awareness.
How What We Eat Affects Sleep:
Like what we eat, it can have a significant impact on the quality of our sleep. Certain foods and drinks, such as caffeine and alcohol, can interfere with sleep-wake cycles, including making it harder to fall asleep and sleep quality with awakenings at night. Some studies also show that eating a larger meal (especially high in fat) or high-carb snacks right before bed can make it harder for us to fall asleep (and sleep).
Recognizing what helps/harms your sleep:
If you have difficulty falling asleep/staying asleep or notice that you are more tired than usual, then keeping a nutrition and sleep diary to track your food/drink intake (along with the time of day) as well as your sleep quality can help. This can help you notice which products/drinks may be interfering with your sleep.
Sleep support through nutrition:
Eat a balanced diet that includes protein, carbohydrates and fiber, and fats. Remember fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereal products, as they contain nutrients such as magnesium, potassium and vitamin B6 (all essential for good sleep).
Avoid eating larger meals, high-fat meals, or sugar-rich snacks just before bedtime. Instead, choose balanced snacks that contain fiber and protein, such as sugar-free Greek yogurt with fruit. Limit caffeine intake. It is best to avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening if it affects sleep. Limit/avoid alcohol consumption a few hours before bedtime. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Consult your doctor to see if magnesium or melatonin supplements are right for you.
Other ways to potentially improve sleep:
Avoid using electronic devices 2-3 hours before bedtime (turn off the TV/laptop and stop scrolling... I know it's easier said than done!) If you absolutely need to have the light on, try using a dim red light. Create an oasis with your bedroom (that is, a space ideal for sleeping) by getting rid of clutter and work-related items. Go to bed at the same time every day (choose the time when you usually start to feel tired). Keep the room dark. Studies show that the darker it is, the better you sleep. You can try a sleep mask or sun curtains, and make sure to turn off or obscure anything that lights up (such as a computer monitor).
Studies show that keeping the temperature in the sleep environment between 16-20 degrees Celsius will speed up the process of falling asleep. For some people, exercise in the evening can interfere with sleep. Try to exercise at the beginning of the day. Introduce meditation before bedtime. Use a tracking log in the F45 Training app or keep a sleep diary to record your nightly rituals and learn how they affect your recovery. Pay close attention to patterns and how you feel each day to find out which “bedtime activities” affect you best. Wearing sleep trackers can also be interesting to get the deepest data and feedback as you check your own sleep performance!
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