How To Eat With Insomnia

Dean Rouseberg Author: Dean Rouseberg Time for reading: ~5 minutes Last Updated: October 23, 2022
How To Eat With Insomnia

Sleep disorders are a disease of every second modern resident of the metropolis. Let's find out what changes you need to make in your menu to get rid of insomnia, as well as what to pay special attention to in order to improve the quality of sleep.

Sleep disorders are a disease of every second modern resident of the metropolis. Undoubtedly, insomnia is a complex problem. The routine of the day, playing sports, the general emotional background - all this can affect how well you sleep. But the daily menu cannot be written off either.

 

 

The importance of a good night's sleep

Full sleep depends on the work of nighttime hormones. The main sleep hormone is melatonin, also a circadian rhythm regulator. By the way, another important function of it is antioxidant activity, which is necessary for maintaining health and youth. Moreover, the female body needs at least 7 hours for full rest and recovery, while the male body needs a little less.

An important condition for the formation of the required amount of melatonin is compliance with certain conditions: darkness, sleep time , at least from midnight to 5 am (optimally from 10-11 pm to 5-6 am) and the presence of the necessary amount of its precursors (melatonin is formed from serotonin, which , in turn, is formed from tryptophan).

It will not be superfluous to know that 95% of all endogenous serotonin (it is also called the hormone of joy) is formed in the intestine. The saprophytic microflora plays not the least role in this. The so-called beneficial microbes contribute to the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin. With intestinal dysbacteriosis, this process worsens significantly. To preserve the microflora, we need fiber - coarse food fibers. You need at least 20 g of them, and optimally - 30-40 g, which means at least 3 portions of raw vegetables, namely stems, leaves and roots, per day, and not only everyone's favorite cucumbers with tomatoes, you also need whole grains and legumes (1-2 servings per day).

In the case of insomnia , products that already contain natural melatonin can help . These are cherries, cherries, grapes, as well as green leafy vegetables, including various types of cabbage. It is also abundant in corn, rice, wheat, barley, oats, and wine.

 

How irrational nutrition disrupts circadian rhythms

When planning your diet, it is not only what we eat in the evening that is important. Of course, overeating, a high-calorie heavy dinner will interfere with sleep . However, those products that are included in the diet throughout the day are also important. Many of them have a significant impact not on how quickly we fall asleep, but on how long the sleep will last . Let's find out what changes you need to make in your menu to get rid of insomnia , as well as what to pay special attention to in order to improve the quality of sleep .

What products worsen sleep

There are two mechanisms of influence of food on our sleep . One of them is biochemical. Some favorite foods contain substances that increase the production of hormones that have a stimulating effect on our body. The other affects only physiological processes, preventing us from sleeping long and comfortably.

Products containing simple sugars

These include pastries, candies, jams, sauces of industrial production, dairy products with additives, fast food, and very sweet fruits. Their consumption after 17:00 stimulates the formation of such hormones as adrenaline and norepinephrine. Normally, their level should decrease in the afternoon, which contributes to easy falling asleep. What are the risks of increased production of these hormones? Because of norepinephrine, you can face increased aggressiveness and irritability, because of adrenaline - with anxiety. It will be extremely difficult to fall asleep in this state.

 

Products containing caffeine

They include not only coffee, but also black tea, cocoa, and chocolate. At the same time, there are people who can consume such products even late at night and, despite this, sleep very well. What is it connected with? First of all, with the features of our DNA. When the part responsible for caffeine detoxification functions normally in the genome, the body reacts adequately to products containing it. If there are problems in this area of ​​DNA, even 1 cup of coffee a day can cause insomnia . In the case of genetic disorders , those who are prone to anxiety or are in a state of severe intoxication are more likely to face sleep problems . The latter happens when taking some medicines, after an illness, in the case of an unhealthy diet.

 

Products with excess salt

They will act on the body in 2 directions. First, such products increase the production of cortisol in the evening, which leads to overexcitation of the nervous system. And in this state you can walk all night. Also, do not forget that a large amount of salt in the diet causes thirst, which means that you will want to wake up more than once at night to drink.

 

Diuretic products

In other words, diuretics. These include watermelon, grapefruit, cranberry, sea buckthorn, etc. Their effect on the body is obvious - all these products stimulate diuresis. It is better not to consume them in the afternoon, otherwise frequent ascents due to natural need in the middle of the night are guaranteed.

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