What creates a good night sleep? If we knew, we’d all do it… right?
Many of us understand that exercising, avoiding screens before bed, and meditating helps us sleep well, but have you ever thought about how eating can help or hinder your rest? In this article, we’ll be looking at how food can play a big, if not the biggest, role in YOUR SLEEP.
Nutrition + Sleep = Read on to Learn
Nutrition has been long understood to keep your body healthy, but recently dieticians have discovered more about the exact relationship between nutrition and sleep. Evidence is right now limited, but early returns have suggested a few tweaks, as well as foods, that can help you go out like a light.
Foods that will Change your Sleep Habits
Let’s begin with coffee. Not good for sleep. Enough, lets move on.
No, but really, caffeine is a sleep killer and each cup you have takes away from your chance of having a great sleep. To not be prejudice against coffee, it’s important to note that teas, sodas, energy drinks, even chocolate all often have levels of caffeine in them, which of course damages your sleep just like a coffee will.
Another element to watch out for when trying to sleep is acid reflux, or we should say any foods that cause acid reflux.
On the positive side, almonds are a rich source of melatonin, so they can help you snooze if that’s what you are after. It’s even been found that almonds can induce a hypnotic state if eaten before bed.
How Weight Affects Your Sleep
Sleep helps you shed weight. It’s true! So why do so many people ignore their sleep habits and get up for the gym at 5am after sleeping only 5 hours?
It’s obviously not as good as exercise, but as a contributing factor, it could potentially be ranked as numero uno. Other risk factors that contribute to obstructive sleep apnea include a narrow airway, chronic nasal congestion, high blood pressure, smoking, family history, diabetes, and a smoking habit.
Chicken or the Egg: How Sleep Deprivation Causes Bad Dietary Choice
Like so many other human ailments, sleep deprivation can cause, or be caused by other things. Specifically, a bad diet. Whether you had a bad diet then started sleeping badly, or you start sleeping badly and then begin to eat badly, the point is you have bad diet and aren’t sleeping well! Helping one has been proven to help the other, so try to make some changes and see what happens!
Timing is Everything
Timing is another element that can play a role in a rough night’s sleep. Although we don’t think about, the digestion process takes a lot of energy for our body, and to get a good sleep, we won’t our body’s relaxed not revved up like they are when digesting food. For this reason, as well as many others, eating after 8pm isn’t suggested, as well as 2 hours before lying down for bed.
What to Think?
Are you thinking that this sounds complicated? You’re right! But, simply small steps can help facilitate larger life changes down the line, so start small, and see. There’s nothing wrong with taken up a wait and see approach with these type changes, just don’t wait too long because you’ll fall back into your old habits.
Any other tips? Contact me personally, and I will add them to this blog post!
For more information, reach out to us at aidanm@restwell.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Pure Energy Sleep System™ mattresses are manufactured in Canada by Restwell Sleep Products. Founded in 1990, Restwell Sleep Products is a manufacturer of mattresses and box springs with two factories in Canada. The Restwell brand is known for quality, value, and comfort, and we take pride in the fact that our mattresses are Canadian made, with high quality standards and attention to detail.
