Valerie Bannos | January 5, 2012
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(Health Secrets Newsletter) Are you among the millions of Americans suffering from sleepless nights? Have you.jpg)
already tried all the sleep-aid medications and nothing is working? Perhaps a few dietary changes and pre-sleep rituals will help you to get a better night's sleep.
There are multiple causes of short-term and chronic insomnia, including but not limited to:
- Stress
- Depression/anxiety
- Poor sleep habits
- Changes in sleep habits or surroundings.
- Health problems (pain, breathing problems, restless leg syndrome)
- Stimulants
- Lack of regular exercise
Before looking at insomnia from a nutritional stand-point, there are pre-sleep rituals and regimens that can be helpful as well:
- Turn off the T.V. and computer at least one hour before bedtime. The light from these devices sends signals to our brains to stay awake. Open up a book instead.
- Often we go to bed thinking of tomorrow's to-do list and worry about forgetting something. Write down your thoughts before bed. This way they will be on paper and out of your head, leading to a better night's sleep.
- Make your room relaxing and sleep-ready. Paint your walls in cool hues such as light blue, grays, greens, and purples (lavender). Stay away from stimulating and exciting colors like reds, oranges, and yellows. Light a soft scented candle, keep electronics at least 3 feet from your bed, and keep your bedroom dark.
- Although regular exercise is key for healthy sleeping, it is advised to not exercise (specifically, cardiovascular) within 3 hours of bed. Exercising stimulates your heart, brain, and muscles and increases your body's temperature. Just twenty to thirty minutes of cardio exercise increases your body's temperature for at least 4 hours after.
- The thought of a nice, warm, relaxing shower before bed sounds wonderful, right? And it is! Taking a warm bath, shower, or sauna increases your body temperature and when it falls again before bed, your brain is signaled for bedtime.
- If you have trouble falling asleep, go to bed a half hour earlier than usual. This will give your body time to relax and unwind and you’ll end up getting a little more sleep.
- If you have busy mornings and are rushing out the door, plan ahead. Lay out your clothes to wear, prep your coffee and set a delay start time, shower the night before, and pack your lunch before bed. When all this is done before bedtime, you can fall asleep with your mind clear and anticipate a low-stress morning.
- Finally, do some de-stressing yoga and deep breathing before bed.
If you have tried these regimens and they are not working, perhaps it is time to turn to the foods you consumed at least 4 hours prior to bed. Certain food groups such as dairy and whole-grain carbohydrates have a helpful impact on sleep; others such as high fat items, meat protein, and certain sugary or caffeinated beverages have a negative impact on sleep.
- Dairy - contains the enzyme tryptophan -- yes, the same as found in turkey. Foods containing tryptophan, which include nuts/seeds, bananas, and eggs, increase the synthesis of serotonin, known as the calming hormone. Serotonin brings on the sleepy feeling!
- Carbohydrates - whole grain carbohydrates such as sprouted cereals, breads, and crackers help induce sleep as well. Carbohydrates and dairy complement each other the best to induce sleep. Healthy combinations include cereal and milk, yogurt and crackers, and sprouted whole grain toast and cheese.
- If you are in need of a bed time snack, keep it light. Eating right before bedtime should be avoided so that the time you spend sleeping can be devoted to body maintenance and repair rather than to digestion.
- Avoid high calorie foods in the evening. You probably do minimal work late at night and intake of high calorie foods can lead to weight gain, which in turn can lead to disturbed sleep cycles.
- Watch caffeine intake. Cut out caffeinated beverages and foods that contain caffeine 4-6 hours before bed time. Caffeinated foods and drinks to be wary of include: chocolate, cola, tea and coffee. Also be aware of caffeine in over-the-counter drugs such as pain relievers, weight loss pills, diuretics and cold medications.
- It is a complete myth that alcohol will help induce sleep. Alcohol only induces a pass-out. When you fall asleep from alcohol, your brain does not enter REM (rapid eye movement), the deepest part of the sleep cycle, resulting in you having disrupted sleep and a more exhausted feeling the following day.
- If you have a problem with heartburn or acid reflux, try to stay away from spicy foods for dinner. Spicy foods increase acid production in the stomach leading to GERD or heartburn. If you suffer from acid reflux and GERD, it is advised to sleep propped up or on your left side because your esophagus connects to your stomach at a slight angle on the right side. Sleeping on your left keeps stomach contents away from your esophagus.
Follow these dietary changes and pre-sleep remedies and you can be on your way to a better night's sleep!
Editor's note: The fact that sleepless nights are linked to early death makes getting a good night's sleep an imperative. If you haven't been sleeping like you did in your earlier years, you might want to try Sleep-Aid, the natural sleep aid with no side effects. Sleep-Aid combines valerian with two other herbs to help you stay asleep.
If you have difficulty falling asleep, you may be short on melatonin, the hormone that regulates Circadian rhythm. Our melatonin supplement works quickly and effectively to put you to sleep and help you reach that all important REM state Valerie referred to.
About The Author:
Graduate of Illinois State University with a BS in Nutrition/Dietetics and minor in psychology; office assistant to Registered Dietitian of ISU for three years; and interned with Arabella House in Naperville working with eating disorders.
