Eat to sleep better – The do’s and don’ts before bed Bedford News

To mark World Sleep Day 2022 (Friday March 18), food sensitivity specialists YorkTest have given their expert advice on the foods that will help you sleep better, expert advice on when we should and should not eat before bed, and the good and bad sleep habits we should take into consideration.

Lack of sleep can be caused by a number of factors, but there are things you can do to make this process a little easier, including eating the right foods before bed at the right time.

When it comes to eating before bed, we’re all guilty of a little midnight snack once in a while, but it can often wreak havoc on our digestive system and disrupt our nighttime sleep.

But did you know that certain foods can actually help us sleep better?

Sal Hanvey, expert nutritionist at food sensitivity specialist YorkTest, gave her expert advice on what foods we should be eating to help us sleep better.

1 – Cheese nightmares? Myth or reality ?

As kids, we were all told that eating cheese before bed would cause nightmares – but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Although you shouldn’t munch on a block of cheddar right before bed, eating dairy products throughout the day could put you on the way to a good night’s sleep because they’re high in an amino acid called tryptophan. .

Tryptophan, when ingested, turns into serotonin (the happiness hormone), before finally being converted into melatonin (the sleep hormone). These foods are therefore ideal for promoting a good night’s sleep. Here are some examples :

Dairy products (milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese) Poultry (turkey, chicken) Seafood (shrimp, salmon, halibut, tuna, sardines, cod) Nuts and seeds (flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts) Legumes (kidney beans, lima beans, black beans, split peas, chickpeas) Fruits (apples, bananas, peaches, avocado) Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, turnip greens, asparagus, onions, seaweed) Cereals ( wheat, rice, barley, corn, oats)

2 – Plant foods will help you stay asleep longer

While we usually credit plant-based foods with giving us energy and feeling fresh, it seems they’re also really good at helping us get some sleep. Since most nuts and seeds have a high magnesium content, they could be essential for getting us to sleep and keeping us there as well.

This is due to something called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), an amino acid which, if levels are low, can cause your brain to have quick thoughts and a busy mind. Magnesium has GABA-boosting properties, which means eating some of these foods a few hours after bedtime might be just what you need for a good night’s sleep. Magnesium-rich foods include:

Pumpkin seeds – pits: 1 oz serving, 168 mgAlmonds, dry roasted: 1 oz serving, 80 mgSpinach, boiled: ½ cup serving, 78 mgCashews, dry roasted: 1 oz serving, 74 mgPumpkin seeds in the shell: Portion 1 oz, 74 mgPeanuts roasted in oil: Portion ¼ cup, 63 mg

3 – Eating within three hours of bedtime is a big no-no!

We often attribute having a full stomach to a comforting feeling, perhaps the idea of ​​curling up on the couch with a blanket after Sunday lunch comes to mind. But in fact, eating before you go to sleep may keep you awake long after bedtime.

However, as mentioned earlier, a number of factors can lead to poor sleep, ranging from the food we eat to stress and anxiety. Although in some cases it may be beyond our relative control, there are some things we do that should be avoided. These include:

Caffeine after 3 p.m. Sleeping with a light on Exercising too close to the bed Having your phone nearby and on Watching TV in bed Eating 3 hours before bed Having the bedroom too hot Lack of routine Working late Drinking Long naps

This debate is right there between which side of the bed is better and whether you sleep with your feet under the covers or not.

Which is better… a warm or cold room?

While you might think that a warm, comfortable bedroom might be the key to a golden 7-9 hours a night, it turns out that a cool bedroom might be the best.

Good bedtime habits are important and there are a number of good habits we can adopt to ensure that we take care of ourselves. Being caffeine free after 3pm is a key way to ensure you won’t be up all night and as noted eating tryptophan rich foods throughout the day will also be extremely beneficial, but others also include:

No phone or technology before bed

Epsom salt bath one hour before bedtime

As for when we should or shouldn’t eat before bed, Sal Hanvey says that while it has more to do with what we eat rather than eating large meals after 7 p.m., it should be a big no-no.

“After around 7pm our pancreas starts to slow down its production of digestive enzymes and foods eaten after this time, especially large meals are not recommended as our bodies have to work very hard trying to break down our food. Eating light in the evening is the key to better digestion and, therefore, a better night’s sleep so that our digestive system is not overstretched.

However, if there is an underlying food intolerance, this should be investigated to ensure we are making the right food choices at all times of the day.