Even one night of tossing and turning can disrupt your week, leaving you exhausted, overwhelmed, and easily irritated. When poor sleep becomes more consistent, you face many risks for various health problems. Sleep is crucial for the proper functioning of our bodies and for long-term health. Everything from sleep hygiene to your diet affects your sleep. But if you have trouble sleeping or feel tired and exhausted every day, you may also need to adjust your meal timing.
Sleep over food
Your body is governed by a circadian rhythm that regulates a variety of body processes, allowing you to fast while you sleep, making you hungry during the day and inducing drowsiness when your body needs rest again. Research shows that eating patterns influence your circadian rhythm. When and what you eat seriously affects your sleep. In turn, your sleep affects your sense of fullness, leading to a close link between sleep problems and obesity. Poor eating habits often lead to poor sleep, and insomnia often results in eating too much or more junk food. Sleep quality and diet go hand in hand.
Sleep aid food
The food you eat can affect your sleep. Too many sugary foods and drinks combined with fatty foods lead to poor sleep. A significant amount of research has shown the importance of a high-quality diet for your sleep. Getting enough vitamins and eating less fat and sugar can significantly improve your sleep. Foods high in magnesium and tryptophan are particularly helpful for sleep quality. However, eating well is not the only thing you should pay attention to in order to sleep better.
Why do I fall asleep after eating?
The timing of your meals can affect your sleep. A study on intermittent fasting found that the majority of participants snack throughout the day and eat more than three meals per day. Half of the participants ate during an eating window of more than 15 hours per day and ate a snack less than 2 hours before going to bed. However, switching to a time-restricted diet gave participants better and longer sleep. Resisting late-night snacks helped improve sleep quality.
Other studies on meal and sleep timing have shown that eating less than an hour before bed can disrupt your sleep. More people woke up during the night, couldn’t sleep as long, or took longer to fall asleep after eating close to bedtime. Sleep is a time when the body repairs and replaces cells. It is a restorative time for your body, important for your brain, your immune system, your heart, your intestines, and so on. Asking your body to digest during sleep seems to disrupt your body’s natural rhythm of rest and recovery.
Additionally, eating at different times during the day can disrupt your sleep. According to several studies, inconsistent eating patterns negatively impact sleep. Constant changes in your eating habits ensure that your circadian rhythm doesn’t go out of whack.
Eating breakfast or choosing to forego the first meal of the day can also impact your sleep. It’s all about circadian rhythm, and skipping a meal can affect your eating and sleep signals later. More people who skip breakfast also eat their last meal later, which affects their sleep quality.
The next time you feel the urge to scoop up a bowl of ice cream late at night, remember that this treat could keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. Consider cutting back on your snacks at least two hours before bedtime. Sleep is important, and when you eat, you can have a better chance of getting the quality rest you need.
References:
https://alternativemedicine.com/sleep-center/is-poor-nutrition-keeping-you-up-at-night-what-you-need-to-know-about-diet-and-sleep/
https://alternativemedicine.com/sleep/#Dietandsleepissues
http://www.seu-roma.it/riviste/annali_igiene/open_access/articoli/30-06-03-Gianfredi.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5388543/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8131073/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7215804/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/does-the-time-of-day-you-eat-matter
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6668174/