Sleep and Diet
Sleep and diet- these factors constitute two of the most critical determinants of maintaining good health. That diet and sleep have distinct influences on each other is a proven fact. With this in mind, let’s proceed to examine how our everyday diet influences our sleep. In order to discuss this point clearly, it is best to divide foodstuffs into two classes-
1) Foods and food supplements that help us enjoy better sleep and hence are recommended for inclusion in the diet and
2) Foodstuffs and other chemical substances that delay the onset of sleep or cause sleep disorders and should preferably be avoided from our diet.
Let’s turn our attention to those foods that serve to promote sleep. Green vegetables (or leafy vegetables) have been shown to affect sleep in a positive way. More generally, it is advisable to include more chlorophyll containing foods in our daily diet like spinach, lettuce etc…
The role of carbohydrate enriched foods in promoting sleep deserves special mention. Examples of such carbohydrate rich foodstuffs include pasta, whole wheat, brown rice, crackers and oats. Scientific studies have shown that these foods, after getting ingested and absorbed into the body, promote the secretion of a biochemical substance known as serotonin. Serotonin, in the brain, acts to induce sleep. This increased production of serotonin following the consumption of carbohydrate rich foods explains the sleep promoting properties of such food items.
Drinking a glass of milk before going to bed every night is another aid to getting a good night’s sleep. This is attributed to the fact that milk contains the amino acid called tryptophan. In our body tryptophan is converted into serotonin, which as outlined above, contributes to promoting sleep. In this regard, it is also advisable to eat moderate amounts of legumes, peanuts, nutrition-quality yeast and fish. These foods contain plenty of niacin, sometimes known as vitamin B3. Niacin is important for the production of serotonin in the body. Thus, consumption of niacin-rich foods usually has a relaxing effect on the body.
While it is important to recognize sleep promoting dietary items, it is equally important to identify those food substances that hamper or interfere with normal sleep. Intake of coffee or tea must be avoided before bed time. It is preferable to stop drinking coffee or tea at least four hours prior to the person’s normal bed time. These beverages, especially coffee, contain modest levels of caffeine, a substance known to delay sleep and increase alertness.
Excessive alcohol consumption must also be avoided prior to going to bed. Although alcohol helps one to fall asleep quickly, later on in the night, it can cause interspersed periods of alertness, resulting in disturbed or fragmented sleep. It is also advisable to put off drinking colas for supper as many types of cola also contain varying amounts of caffeine.
Finally, it is important to exclude hot, oily and spicy food items from the evening meal and supper. Such foods can cause irritation of the stomach lining and this may result in severe heartburn during the night.
It is also a good practice not to take in large quantities of fluids before going to sleep as this can cause a full bladder during the night. This in turn can cause strong urinary urges, powerful enough to awaken a person and thereby result in broken sleep!