If you knew that getting enough sleep would not only make you feel less tired the next day but would actually lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression would you make more of an effort to catch some more zzz’s?
Sleep is as fundamental as eating and drinking. When we sleep the body repairs cells, restores energy and releases proteins and hormones. Brain health is supported via nerve cells communicating and reorganising. The brain is hard at work whilst we slumber getting rid of waste and storing new information.
Brain Health
Literature shows that sleep support memory function by converting short-term memories into long-term memories as well as erasing information that may seem to clutter the nervous system. Sleep can support the way you learn, stay focused and be creative. It can also affect decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Mental Health
When you sleep the brain supports healthy brain function by regulating emotion helping with emotional stability. When you are sleep deprived you are more likely to overreact to situations as sleep supports the part of the brain called the amygdala which controls your reaction when you face a stressful situation.
Weight
Getting your sleep habits in check can aid your efforts with weight loss as sleep affects hunger hormones ghrelin and leptin. Tiredness increases ghrelin which increases appetite and suppresses leptin which helps you to feel full after eating.
Studies show that chronic sleep deprivation may be associated with an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Sleep keeps your cells healthy so they can easily take up glucose protecting against insulin resistance helps the body regulate overall blood glucose.
Immune Health
Immune health depends on sleep and sleep deprivation can inhibit the immune response and make the body susceptible to germs. When you sleep, your body produces antibodies and immune cells. It also makes proteins called cytokines, which fight infection and inflammation. That’s why sleep is so important when you’re sick or stressed. During these times, the body needs even more immune cells and proteins to be made while you are sleeping.
Sleep Tips
Think about how to prepare for sleep:
- Use an eye mask to help you get to sleep
- Use a wake-up light alarm to help you rise in dark mornings
- Reduce caffeine consumption - it takes 5hrs to break down half of what’s consumed
- Reduce screen time, especially before bedtime. Television, computers, & video games during the evening have been linked to sleep disturbances. Studies show that bright light from devices may counteract the natural effect of darkness which may be affecting melatonin production.
Reduce or avoid alcohol & cigarettes:
- They stimulate brain activity, making it harder to relax and fall asleep. Alcohol is a sedative, but it dehydrates and affects sleep quality
How Does Food Help?
- The body uses tryptophan to make the sleep hormone melatonin
- Tryptophan: cherries, bananas, eggs, fish, peanuts, pumpkin and sesame seeds, milk, turkey.
- Research suggests that low levels of calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, E, and K can impact sleep
- Folate, vitamin B6 and zinc play a role in circadian rhythm regulation (natural body clock) and melatonin production.
Food Sources
- Vitamin B6: Most fish contains vitamin B6 as well as chick peas.
- Magnesium: Nuts and seeds, especially almonds, cashews, and whole grains.
- Vitamin C: citrus fruits, broccoli, kiwis
- Vitamin A: Fatty fish such as salmon, fresh tuna, carrots, sweet potato
- Vitamin K: Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale & broccoli
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482512/ https://www.jneurosci.org/content/37/3/464 https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/9/e016873 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aar8590 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5768894/
