In a very special addition, today we have the support of Accredited Dietitian and Nutritionist Paula Norris from Moving Dietician. Thanks for lending your wisdom Paula!
Nutrition is not an obvious consideration when it comes to strategies to improve your sleep, but it should be. A study published in 2016 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that our diet can absolutely influence sleep. In this study, low fiber and high saturated fat and sugar intakes were found to be associated with lighter, less restorative sleep with more arousals. There’s also foods that have been linked with improved sleep.
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Based on this, here are five nutritional strategies that could enhance the quality of your shut-eye.
Ensure you are getting adequate fibre across your day.
Adults should aim for between 25 - 30 grams of fibre daily. Some of the best foods for fibre include berries, pears, apples, carrots, broccoli, oats, chia seeds, legumes (lentils and beans) and wholegrains like quinoa, buckwheat and freekeh.
Limit sugar.
In addition to a high overall sugar intake being linked with lighter, less restorative sleep, eating too much sugar in the lead up to bedtime may mean it takes you longer to get to sleep. Animal studies show that glucose levels inhibit orexin, a neuropeptide that regulates wakefulness. Whilst not all results of animal studies transfer to human trials, it is worth considering if you’re struggling to sleep. The broader benefits of reducing sugar should also be a strong motivator.
Limit saturated fat.
Whilst saturated fat is somewhat of a controversial topic these days, not only is the consensus still that saturated fat should be limited for heart health, there also appears to be sleep benefits. Limiting saturated fats means reducing intake of red meat, butter, coconut oil, ghee, cakes, biscuits and pastries.
Avoid oily, heavy and spicy foods 2 hours before bed
If you suffer from heartburn or reflux, it is likely to be helpful to avoid foods that are particularly triggering in the 2 hours before you get into bed and lay flat. High fat foods such as fried foods, potato chips, whole milk or yoghurt, cheese, ice cream, full fat fat sour cream as well as spicy foods tend to be the most problematic.
Eat a sleep suitable diet.
Studies show that people who have healthy sleeping patterns have diets full of:
Vegetables
Fruits
Wholegrains
Healthy fats like those found in extra virgin olive oil and oily fish like salmon, trout, herring and mackerel.
B-vitamins from fish, lean meats and wholegrains.
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Paula Norris, @movingdietitian has been an Accredited Dietitian and Nutritionist for the past 13 years. Paula’s speciality areas are volume eating, managing hunger and weight loss through developing sustainable habits.
