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Denise Scott

Diet and its Effect on Sleep

Did you know that diet can affect sleep, and sleep can affect eating habits?

Adequate sleep is vital for all ages. The amount one needs varies with age according to the following recommendations:

Sleeping child. What we eat can affect sleep and sleep affects what we eat.



Age Hours of Sleep

0-3 months 14-17 (total including naps)

4-12 months 12-16 (includes naps)

1-2 years 11-14 (includes naps)

3-5 years 10-13 (includes naps)

6-12 years   9-12

13-18 years 8-10

18 & over 7 or more


Research clearly shows that sleep patterns impact how and what a person eats. Too little sleep can lead to overeating, especially food high in fat and sugar, and less consumption of healthy foods (fruit and vegetables). Inadequate sleep also increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. These effects are due to hormone dysregulation, making a person feel hungrier. 


Technology and social media certainly can create poor sleep, but this article focuses on the role of nutrition.


Numerous foods and beverages are known to disrupt sleep. Caffeine is obvious, but even decaffeinated drinks have enough caffeine to affect some people, myself included. Sources of caffeine other than sodas, coffee, tea, and energy drinks are chocolate, cocoa products, and even some ice cream and cereals.

Food items with caffeine include coffee, tea, chocolate, and cocoa products.


Eating a meal too close to bedtime (within 2 hours) can also be disruptive, especially a large or high-protein meal. Protein can take a long time to digest; digestion slows during sleep.


Spicy or acidic foods can cause reflux or indigestion and should be avoided several hours before bedtime.


What the Research Shows on Inadequate Sleep and Nutrition Choices


Adults and teens who sleep less than 7 hours a night tend to eat more calories than those who sleep more than 7 hours. They are also less diversified in their diet, with a lower protein and fiber intake.  Poor sleepers lean toward simple carbohydrates, higher fat intake, and more frequent snacking. Thus, the amount of sleep we get affects our food choices. Inadequate sleep affects two hormones that control appetite: leptin and ghrelin. Changes in these hormone levels cause us to feel more hunger and less satiety. Such poor food choices can lead to obesity.


Foods that Promote Sleep


Numerous foods promote sleep. Some foods contain hormones or chemicals, such as tryptophan and serotonin, that boost melatonin production. Melatonin is the sleep hormone.


Tryptophan


You may already be familiar with drinking milk before bedtime to help you sleep. There is some truth to that. Milk contains tryptophan, which is converted in the body to serotonin, which is converted to melatonin.


Additional tryptophan-containing foods include:

  • Cheeses

  • Eggs

  • Fish and seafood

  • Fruit, especially tart cherries, kiwi, and pineapple

  • Whole grains (complex carbohydrates)

  • Poultry

  • Legumes

  • Soy-based foods

  • Nuts and seeds

Consider adding items from these food categories to your evening meals.


Foods with tryptophan pictured which include dairy, eggs, seafood, grains, soy products, legumes, poultry, and meats.



Serotonin


Serotonin is a hormone involved in many functions, including sleep, mood, and digestion. When levels are low, it can affect sleep. Since serotonin is made from tryptophan, eating tryptophan-containing foods can boost serotonin levels. In the body, serotonin is converted to melatonin, which induces sleep.


Very few foods contain serotonin (kiwi and walnuts), but levels are boosted by eating foods containing tryptophan.


Melatonin


Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain that helps regulate sleep.

Tryptophan is converted to serotonin, which is converted to melatonin.

Melatonin levels can be boosted by eating tryptophan-rich foods or foods containing melatonin. Some of these foods contain both tryptophan and melatonin.


These foods include:

Eggs

Fish

Milk

Mushrooms

Nuts

Tart cherries and berries


Tart cherries and berries contain melatonin, a sleep-inducer.


Including foods rich in tryptophan or melatonin in the evening meal and several hours before bedtime is better and safer than supplements. The foods listed are nutritious sources of an overall healthy diet and components of the Mediterranean Diet.


Help your child (and you) get a good night’s sleep naturally.


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