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Essential Nutrition tips for a Better Sleep - By Casey-Lee Lyons
19.11.23
The Sleep-Nutrition Connection
In our vivacious youth we often sacrifice sleep for lively nights out, ambitious career
pursuits, and countless life adventures. However, as we journey through life, the
significance of quality sleep become unmistakably clear. While an occasional sleepless
night might not seem like a big deal, making it a habit can drastically affect our health.
But, guess what? There’s a secret weapon to help combat those restless nights: nutrition.
Believe it or not, our food choices can be the difference between a peaceful night’s sleep
and a tumultuous one.
Ready to transform your nights and enjoy restful slumber? Let’s dive in and discover below
top nutritionist tips from Live Love Nourish to ensure you wake up refreshed and
reenergised, so you can feel your best self.
But, why is sleep so pivotal to our health?
Sleep is far more than just a downtime; it’s a critical phase during which our bodies undergo transformative processes, essential for maintaining a balanced biochemistry and overall wellbeing.
In short, without consistent quality sleep, you’re missing out on feeling your absolute best.
Bottom line, if you don’t get adequate quality sleep, consistently, you aren’t able to feel your best self.
How Much Sleep is Essential for Peak Health?
Sleep isn’t solely about the number of hours we spend in bed. True restorative sleep focuses not just on the duration (quantity), but also on the depth and consistency (quality).
Studies consistently recommend that adults should strive for 7-9 hours of continuous, undisturbed sleep every night.
How Does Sleep Deprivation Impact Our Body?
When we don’t get enough sleep or our quality of sleep is poor, it can greatly impact our wellbeing and generally cause you to feel much less than your best self.
Insufficient sleep doesn’t just leave us feeling groggy - it can deeply affect our overall wellbeing. If you’re not getting the quality rest you need, here are some signs that your body might be crying out for better sleep hygiene:
• Intense cravings for sugary, carb-rich and energy-rich foods,
• Constant fatigue and low energy,
• Decreased focus, foggy thinking and reduced mental clarity,
• Increased irritability, heightened anxiety and emotional fluctuations,
• A weakened immune system, making you prone to frequent colds and flu.
Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to more dire consequences. Extensive research links it to health issues like obesity, diabetes, increased inflammation, and a range of mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression.
How Can Your Diet Influence Sleep Quality?
Your daily nutrition can be a game-changer for achieving restful nights. What you eat, particularly for dinner, can either set the stage for sound sleep or disrupt it.
Here’s your blueprint nutrition plan for better sleep
Embrace Macro-Balanced Meals
Spread across the day, these keep your blood sugar levels stable and fulfil your nutrient requirements. Macro’s to include:
• Quality Proteins - great sources include chicken, turkey, tofu or fish.
• Complex Carbohydrates - such as wholegrains, starchy veggies and legumes.
• Healthy Fats - incorporate omega-rich foods like fatty fish, walnuts, avocados and
flaxseeds.
• Gut Friendly Fibre - green leafy vegetables and other low starch veggies.
Enjoy a Timely Dinner
Aim to finish your dinner at least 2 hours before hitting the bed. This ensures digestion doesn’t interfere with your body’s night-time rejuvenation processes.
Fuelling your body with the right nutrition can be the key to unlocking nights filled with deep, uninterrupted sleep. Let’s dive into the specifics and unlock deep sleep with nutrition.
Best Foods For Sleep
If you’re on a quest for a night of restful sleep, understanding the impact of dietary choices is crucial. Here’s a breakdown of what to include and reduce to optimise quality sleep:
Best night-time nutrient powerhouse foods to promote better sleep:
1. Tart Cherries - natural source of melatonin to support sleep cycles and promote a restful night.
2. Magnesium-rich and calcium-rich foods - think nuts, seeds and leafy greens. Magnesium is hailed for its role in facilitating deep, restorative sleep whilst calcium plays a role in melatonin production.
3. Tryptophan- rich foods - such as turkey, bananas, pineapple, nuts, seeds and tofu are good sources. Tryptophan is an an amino acid that paves the way for serotonin, which in turn can be converted to melatonin.
4. Walnuts - have a similar melatonin-boosting trait as tart cherries.
5. Fatty fish and eggy yolks - Especially salmon, these are packed with vitamin D and
omega 3’s known to enhance serotonin levels, a precursors for sleep regulation.
6. Kiwi - A recent study highlighted the fruit’s remarkable ability to mprove sleep onset,
duration, and efficiency.
7. Bananas - at triple treat, they’re packed with magnesium, potassium and tryptophan,
all of which contribute to better sleep.
What are the worst foods that impact your sleep?
1. Sugary Foods: High sugar content can potentially delay the onset of sleep and induce interruptions. If better sleep is your goal, it might be worth minimising in the evening.
2. Heavy Evening Dinners: Large or rich meals, especially close to bedtime, can be
counterproductive for those wanting deep, uninterrupted sleep.
3. Processed Foods: Some processed foods (especially those that contain additives,
stimulants or excessive sugars) can affect the quality of your REM sleep, a vital stage
of the sleep cycle for cognitive processes.
4. Spicy or High-Fat Foods: If you are prone to indigestion or heartburn, heavy and fatty
foods can disrupt sleep, leading to more wakeful moments during the night.
5. Caffeinated Culprits: Drinks rich in caffeine, like coffee, tea and stimulating energy drinks can disturb sleep and keep your body on high-alert making it harder to wind- down and go into a deeper sleep, especially when consumed later in the day. Consuming caffeine after midday may impair sleep quality and hinder the depth and
continuity of your sleep.
6. Alcohol: Can fragment your sleep, reducing overall restorative value of your slumber.
7. Chocolate’s Hidden Kick: Due to theobromine, certain people find chocolate overly
stimulating in the evening, which might affect the quality of their sleep.
Dinner ideas for better sleep
Some delicious and nutritious examples that prioritise protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates and support a good night’s sleep:
• Thai Baked Salmon with steamed greens • Nourish Bowl
• Almond Butter Satay Chicken
• Lean protein and vegetable stir-fry
• Turkey bolognese with pulse pasta
• Barramundi with greens and quinoa
• Tuna pie
• Loaded sweet potatoes
• Magnesium mug cake - a sweet treat for a restful night
Unlock Vibrant Health with Live Love Nourish:
Empower your health journey with the transformative power of nutrition. With the right guidance (and someone here cheering you on!), your daily food and lifestyle choices can become a potent strategy in feeling reenergised, sleeping soundly, improving digestion and curbing those nagging cravings.
Ready to dive deeper, reshape your health journey and take empowering action to elevate your health and step into your power? Get ready to create a healthy life you’ll love and be among the first to access our brand new online course by joining the waitlist today.
Lets reignite your spark together,
Casey-Lee Lyons
Nutritionist, Live Love Nourish
Want more free, health changing goodness, follow Live Love Nourish on:
IG: @livelovenourishaus
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