Nutrition & Sleep
Do you ever have those nights when the clock won’t stop ticking? Suddenly it’s 2 AM, you’re tossing and turning, continuously flipping the pillow for the colder side, and inevitably counting down how many hours are left before the alarm blasts off signaling a sleep deprived day to begin. Do you have these type of nights more often than not?
Sleep is one of the most important needs in life. A study published in 2016 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that diet can influence sleep. This study reported that eating more saturated fat, more sugar and less fiber is associated with a lighter, less restorative sleep with more arousals throughout the night. This discovery held true even over the course of a single day. Conversely, increased fiber intake illustrated more time spent in a state of deep sleep (who doesn’t want deep sleep?!). Additionally, NHANES found that individuals who slept less than 6 hours per night consumed a low protein diet. Thus, protein rich foods (such as lean meat, fish, eggs) have been linked to sleep duration.
As we all know, and most likely have experienced - a night, or many nights of lackluster sleep impacts us throughout the entirety of the next day. A randomized, crossover study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that insufficient sleep increases overeating and unhealthy food choices. The participants who experienced sleep restriction presented with decreased leptin levels (the satiety hormone) and increased ghrelin levels (hunger hormone) and overall increased hunger and appetite. Ultimately, sleep impacts what you eat and what you eat can impact how you sleep.
So where do we go from here? While of course there are other factors at play in the relationship between sleep and diet including physical activity, environment, stress, work, and so forth, let’s focus on an aspect we can have more control over.
When thinking about the best foods before bed, there are certain nutrients to be on the lookout for. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is believed to induce sleep as it is a precursor to the sleep-inducing chemicals serotonin and melatonin . You can find tryptophan in turkey, chicken, ground beef (all great sources of protein) and even in milk, honey and bananas. To get an even higher degree of tryptophan, pair it with a carbohydrate, as studies show that carbs eaten with tryptophan can increase brain levels of serotonin. Opt for a complex carbohydrate source to yield even more health benefits. While the carb itself lacks tryptophan, it causes insulin to be secreted, which in turn decreases plasma levels of other amino acids that would compete with tryptophan for transport across the blood brain barrier. This results in more serotonin which then converts into melatonin, the main sleep hormone.
We now know that diet impacts sleep, particularly by increasing fiber, protein, sources of tryptophan, and decreasing saturated fat and sugar we are more likely to experience a better night’s sleep. Here’s an idea for dinner on how to meet those needs - chicken or turkey (tryptophan and protein check) paired with a side of rice (complex carbohydrate) and cauliflower (fiber). Chef’s kiss! Nutritious, delicious and sleep enhancing.
