How did you sleep?
Do you wake up feeling refreshed, revived and ready to start the day, or do you hit the snooze button a few times before you get up?
If you have trouble getting over to sleep, spend the night tossing and turning, or wake up feeling as if you haven’t slept, your diet could have some answers.
Our sleep patterns are regulated by our circadian rhythm. This is our in-built 24 hour body clock, that controls our sleep-wake cycle. Every cell in our body in our body is affected by this daily rhythm. It affects things like blood pressure, body temperature, hormone secretion, energy and digestion.
The circadian rhythm is regulated by two hormones – melatonin, our sleep hormone and cortisol, our energising hormone. The biggest influence on the balance of these hormones is light and dark. Daylight sends a message to the pineal gland in our brain to supress melatonin in the morning, and in turn, this triggers the natural rise in cortisol. The reverse happens at night.
As well as daylight, other external factors like the food we eat, stress levels, temperature, shift working, disrupted sleep and travel can affect the circadian rhythm too.
When sleep is disrupted, it can affect our focus and concentration, energy and mood and even our appetite. Research shows that adults who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to have a lower intake of some nutrients, including calcium, magnesium and vitamin D. Whether this is because poor sleep is caused by the lack of these nutrients, or because insomnia affects our food choices is unclear.
Chronic insomnia can affect our long-term health, increasing risk of conditions like cardiovascular disease, IBS and type 2 diabetes.
Although there is no magic formula, creating a good daily routine can help support the circadian rhythm and reset our sleep-wake cycle. Here are some suggestions that might help you get a better night’s sleep:
Wakening to a light, rather than the buzz of your phone or an alarm clock can help to gently stimulate cortisol and supress melatonin. Try a daylight alarm clock like ‘Lumie’.
Get outside in morning daylight. This helps to regulate the natural balance of cortisol and melatonin, leaving you more energised in the day and ready for sleep later.
Don’t skip breakfast. Fuel yourself with a protein-based breakfast to support energy levels and regulate your appetite in the morning. Add nuts, seeds or natural yoghurt to your breakfast.
Avoid caffeine after lunchtime. Caffeine can affect your energy for hours, so swich to decaf or herbal teas from noon.
Manage your sugar consumption. Dysregulated blood sugar can affect sleep patterns. Keep sugar to a minimum, increase your fibre intake and have protein at every meal to help maintain a balanced blood sugar throughout the day.
Eating foods rich in melatonin in the evening is worth a try. These include eggs and fish, nuts, dairy products, cherries, kiwi and oats. Try some yoghurt and cherries with flaked almonds, a couple of oatcakes with nut butter, or a kiwi fruit after dinner.
Don’t eat too close to bedtime. Studies suggest leaving a three-hour gap between the last time we eat and bedtime to allow for efficient digestion, so you are not going to bed with a belly full of food that can disrupt sleep.
Sleeptime teas with calming herbs like chamomile, lavender or lemon balm can be useful and lovely to help you unwind in the evening.
Many people benefit from taking a magnesium supplement an hour or so before bedtime. This can be as a capsule or powder, and the suggested form is magnesium gycinate. Some supplement companies blend this with Montmorency cherry, a tart cherry that has been shown to help support melatonin levels and result in better and longer sleep.
Switch off all screens at least an hour before bedtime, as blue light can disrupt your ability to fall asleep and scrolling stimulates, rather than relaxes.
Keep your bedtime regular and make sure your bedroom is dark enough and cool enough.