There are multiple factors that affect the quality of a person's sleep. These can include daily activities, the environment, as well as a person's diet.
Moreover, the ongoing pandemic may be the reason why so many of us have not been getting adequate sleep. Rising cases, disrupted daily routines, and potential loss of things essential to us can cause countless sleepless nights.
According to Independent UK, Health and Science suggest it is best to adopt various measures to overcome their stress-related sleep issues.
To achieve this, most people will incorporate enough exercise and cut back on too much social media and screen time. However, it seems like there is one more important factor that is usually overlooked.
What you eat may affect your sleeping patterns
According to Sleep Foundation, what we eat affects our sleep quality, as well as its duration. There are studies suggesting that eating a diet that is high in sugar, saturated fat, and processed carbohydrates can disrupt your sleep. On the other hand, eating more plants, fiber, and foods rich in unsaturated fat may help to promote sound sleep.
Studies such as one found in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveal that people who suffer from consistently inadequate sleep tend to have more deficient quality diets.
These individuals usually consume less protein, fewer fruits and vegetables, higher intake of added sugar from sugary beverages, desserts, and ultra-processed foods.
Several researchers have turned to randomized controlled trials to get a better understanding of the relationship between diet and sleep.
In these trials, participants are instructed what to eat and then look for changes in their sleep. In addition, there were also studies that looked at the effects of a wide range of foods, from warm milk to fruit juice.
Sleep Centre of Excellence at Columbia Director, Marie-Pierre St-Onge, spent years studying the relationship between diet and sleep. The results of her studies suggest that instead of focusing on one or two specific foods with sleep-inducing properties, it is better to focus on the overall quality of your diet.
Surprising findings in sleep-diet effect
For her research, she recruited 26 healthy adults and controlled what they ate for four days. These participants were given regular meals prepared by nutritionists while also monitoring how they slept at night. However, on day 5, the participants were given the freedom to eat anything they want.
As a result, their research revealed that eating more saturated fat and less fiber from foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains causes reductions in slow-wave sleep, which is the deep, restorative kind.
In addition, they also discovered that carbohydrates have a significant impact on rest that caused people to fall asleep much faster at night. This has something to do with carbs helping tryptophan cross into the brain more easily.
However, the research also stresses that the quality of carbs matter. When people consume more sugar and simple carbs, they wake up more frequently throughout the night. That is why St-Onge suggests to go for complex carbs that contain fiber, which may help you obtain more deep, restorative sleep.
