The quality of your sleep is determined by the amount of time you spend in deep sleep and the amount of time you spend in light sleep. The former is associated with feeling rested and energized, while the latter feels drowsy. A poor diet can make it harder to fall asleep, keep you awake, and make it harder to feel refreshed when you do wake up. However, small changes to your diet can significantly impact your ability to get quality sleep.
Nutrients and Sleep
Many nutrients, including magnesium, calcium, and zinc, are responsible for better sleep quality. Vitamins B6, B12, and D also play a role, as do the amino acid tryptophan and the carotenoid lutein. Some foods, including whole grains, legumes, and fiber found in fruits and vegetables, also improve sleep quality. The right amount of exercise also plays a role in good sleep quality.
Why Sleep and Diet Are Connected
The hormones and chemicals your body produces while you sleep significantly impact how well you feel the next day. This includes the hormones cortisol, melatonin, serotonin, and neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine. All these hormones and chemicals are affected by what you eat. For example, a diet high in protein tends to reduce the melatonin produced, making it harder to fall asleep.
Drinks That Negatively Affect Sleep
Certain drinks have been shown to affect the quality of your sleep negatively. These drinks tend to have high caffeine content, making it harder to fall asleep. Caffeine, found in coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages, is a stimulant that can keep you awake. It has also been linked to an increased risk of depression and anxiety.
Other drinks that have been shown to negatively affect the quality of your sleep include alcoholic beverages, which can make it harder to fall asleep. Some drinks contain a lot of sugar, increasing your blood sugar level and insulin production. For quality sleep, it will be wise for you to do away with these drinks.
Types of Diets and Sleep Quality
Paleo
The Paleo plant-based diet emphasizes the consumption of vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins such as fish and lean meats, as well as the elimination of processed foods and added sugars. The paleo diet is associated with better sleep quality, which is likely related to the fact that it is rich in nutrients that promote better sleep quality.
Vegan
Veganism is based on the principles of a plant-based diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and the elimination of animal products such as meat, eggs, and dairy. The diet positively impacts the quality of your sleep due to the higher levels of fiber and lower levels of saturated fat.
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean diet is a plant-based diet that emphasizes the consumption of vegetables, fruit, and lean proteins such as fish and lean meats, as well as the elimination of processed foods and added sugars. The Mediterranean Diet has also been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, another benefit of a healthy diet.
Ketogenic
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that has been shown to positively impact the quality of your sleep. The goal of the keto diet is to enter a state of ketosis when the body produces ketones instead of glucose. Ketogenic meals have been shown to improve the quality of your sleep by enhancing the production of GABA, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in regulating sleep. The high-fat content of the keto diet also tends to reduce the amount of insulin produced, which has been shown to improve the quality of your sleep.
South Beach
The South Beach diet is a popular diet that was developed to help people lose weight. The diet is high in carbohydrates, which have been shown to increase insulin production. The increased levels of insulin have been linked to a decrease in the level of serotonin in the body, which has been shown to negatively impact the quality of your sleep.
Conclusion
The quality of your sleep is related to the foods that you eat and the drinks that you take. The best thing you can do for a better quality of sleep is to eliminate the drinks that have been shown to negatively affect the quality of your sleep. This will allow you to focus on eating foods high in fiber, which are associated with better sleep quality.