14/03/2023
It’s World Sleep Day on Friday 😴💤 and because most of us could use a better night’s sleep, let’s talk diet quality & sleep quality.
Firstly, while quantity is important (7-8 hours each night is a must), the amount of quality sleep matters too. Getting enough deep sleep will help you feel properly rested the next day as it’s during this stage that your body works to build and repair muscle and tissue, as well as replenish energy stores and regulate glucose metabolism.
Here are my top 3 dietary tips to help you sleep deeper:
🐔 Add more sources of high-tryptophan foods to your plate. It’s the precursor to our sleep hormone, melatonin. So, during the day, fill your plate with tryptophan-rich foods like chicken, turkey, eggs, oats, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils.
🥬 Eat more magnesium and vitamin B-rich foods. Research shows that magnesium, vitamin B6, folate (aka B9) and B12 all support sleep disorders. As you can see, all are co-factors for the production of melatonin. So top up on your dark leafy greens, nuts, legumes and wholegrains
⏳ Try to eat dinner a little earlier. Research shows that those who eat within 3 hours of sleep are more likely to experience disrupted sleep (i.e awakening during the night) compared to those who eat dinner more than 3 hours before bedtime
Happy snoozing 😴💤
