{"id":26723,"date":"2022-09-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-02T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog-staging.saatva-node-stage.tsc-starts-coding.com\/nutrition-and-sleep\/"},"modified":"2024-10-23T14:00:02","modified_gmt":"2024-10-23T14:00:02","slug":"nutrition-and-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva-node-stage.tsc-starts-coding.com\/blog\/nutrition-and-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"The Relationship Between Nutrition and Sleep Quality and the Best Foods to Eat for Better Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Many things can impact your overall sleep quality<\/a>\u2014and nutrition plays a surprisingly large role in how well you can sleep at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to sleep and nutrition,\u00a0Brooke Stubbs<\/a>, MD, a double board-certified internal medicine and lifestyle medicine physician, sees her fair share of patients who don\u2019t achieve adequate nutrition to positively affect sleep.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, one of the top issues she sees is consuming too much caffeine late in the day, which is one of the leading offenders related to diet and sleep. [1]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahead, we\u2019ll delve into the relationship between sleep and nutrition and offer easy dietary changes you can make to improve your sleep. We\u2019ll also share a list of the best foods for sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is nutrition?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just so you have an understanding before going further, Stubbs defines nutrition as \u201cthe exogenous [external] components of food and supplements that provide our bodies with biochemicals necessary for energy, growth, and cellular function.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words? Nutrition is what fuels everything you do, from your waking hours to your sleeping hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"nutrition<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s the relationship between nutrition and sleep quality?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a scientifically proven connection between nutrition and sleep and sleep and nutrition. [2, 3]<\/sup> Basically, it\u2019s widely known that a well-rounded diet can support healthy sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you sleep well, you\u2019re more likely to make healthy food choices, and the opposite is also true: If you eat poorly, then chances are you\u2019ll sleep poorly. [2]<\/sup> And if you sleep poorly, you\u2019ll be more likely to make bad choices when it comes to food. [4]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stubbs says this all comes down to your circadian rhythm<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery single cell in our body works on a circadian clock, meaning it has phases for specific functions that are entrained with our sleep and wake cycles,\u201d she explains. \u201cThe goal of the circadian rhythm is to keep the body in balance. If we are following a regulated pattern, our body is constantly working to get back in balance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When you sleep well, you\u2019re more likely to make healthy food choices, and the opposite is also true: If you eat poorly, then chances are you\u2019ll sleep poorly. <\/sup>And if you sleep poorly, you\u2019ll be more likely to make bad choices when it comes to food.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Eating too close to bedtime is one way food can affect circadian rhythm. [2, 5]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEating any kind of food too close to bedtime, when the lights start to dim and our cells are ready to shift to the restorative portion of the cycle, throws off their pattern and is detrimental to their function and ultimately our overall health,\u201d Stubbs says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrition can also impact the restoration that\u2019s needed during sleep, which replenishes your body\u2019s energy stores and repairs damage. \u201cWe can\u2019t enter this portion cycle if we are still breaking down and metabolizing food,\u201d Stubbs explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What you eat is also important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, different types of food can affect the major hormone transmitters in the body responsible for maintaining circadian rhythms and homeostasis, or \u201ca normal balance within the body,\u201d says Stubbs. [6] <\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adequate nutrients can also act as building blocks for falling asleep and achieving good-quality sleep. We\u2019ll get into this in a bit, but some of the key nutrients for healthy sleep are calcium, magnesium<\/a>, potassium, and\u00a0B vitamins<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiber plays an especially important role in nutrition and sleep. Fiber from plant foods is the fuel for healthy gut microbes<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2016 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine<\/em> found that consuming foods low in fiber and high in saturated fat and sugar is associated with lighter, less restorative sleep. [7] <\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMore and more studies have shown the important role these microbes play in sleep and overall health,\u201d shares Stubbs. For example, they produce serotonin, the precursor to\u00a0melatonin<\/a>.\u00a0[8]<\/sup>\u00a0\u201cThe proper amount of serotonin is essential to quality sleep,\u201d says Stubbs. \u201cFiber also reduces inflammation, which improves sleep.\u201d\u00a0[9]\u00a0<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protein is another crucial aspect of nutrition for improved sleep quality, particularly plant-based protein. According to 2024 research, plant-based proteins were linked to better quality sleep over animal protein. [10]<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch this video for late-night snack ideas that can help you sleep:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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