My Fit Foods - Tip of the Week - The Beauty of Sleep - Kingwood
My Fit Foods - Tip of the Week - The Beauty of Sleep - Kingwood
Published: May 21, 2013, 10:00am
« Back to Kingwood News
|
Even though the CDC recommends that American adults should be getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night, about 30% of the population aren't even getting 6 hours.
Think you can get away with just a little sleep?
Think again!
A University of Chicago study reported that healthy individuals that received an average of 4 hours of sleep per night, had blood glucose and insulin levels nearly identical to those of a diabetic. Fortunately, scientists have recently been able to find ways to aid sleep through lifestyle changes.
Food for Thought:
Foods that you eat during the day play a large role in your night’s sleep. Eating a large meal or a meal full of carbohydrates, like pasta, will cause your blood sugars to elevate, causing you to feel more alert. Since carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy, you should avoid the macronutrient 2-3 hours before bed. On the other hand, there are many foods that can help you sleep longer and better. These include:
Yogurt & Kale:
Contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps build hormones that make you feel sleepy, and calcium, which helps the intake of tryptophan. Studies show that people who are deficient in calcium have a much harder time falling asleep.
Fish & Flax Seed:
Both contain Omega-3 fatty acids which have a calming effect on the brain. Sources such as salmon and tuna also have a high amount of vitamin B6, which is needed to create melatonin.
Almonds:
Like the foods above, contains tryptophan and magnesium.
As strange as it seems, the foods you eat can also play a role in your dreams. For example, high sugar foods have been frequently tied to nightmares. According to one study, 7 of 10 subjects were prone to nightmares after eating sugary foods like candy bars before bed.
Flex Your Brain Waves:
Physical activity has been shown to be a great tool in helping with sleep disorders. Healthy adults should be getting at least 3 hours of exercise per week. This added exercise has been shown to decrease sleep latency (the time between attempting to fall asleep and actually sleeping) as well as increase slow wave sleep (REM sleep) and total sleep time.
Don’t worry about working out at a certain time of day, either. If you are a night owl and like hitting the gym at night, just make sure you give your body enough time to cool down to a normal temperature. Since your body temperature needs to drop before you get into the later stages of sleep, an increase in body temperature right before bed can prolong sleep latency and cause shorter sleep time.
So if you are one of the many Americans struggling to get enough sleep, take solace in the fact that you can help your situation through diet and exercise. Just remember to eat a low-carbohydrate dinner, like those at My Fit Foods, exercise regularly and avoid sugar and/or fat dense foods before bed. Great sleep will help insure great health and a happier you!
Cait Laub
Nutritionist
Nutrition Coach My Fit Foods
EAT FIT. LIVE FIT.
« Back to Kingwood News & Highlights