Nothing worse than not being able to be productive for an entire day after a terrible night of sleep. A lack of sleep (less than 7 hours) affects your cognitive performance and leads to weight gain, affects our hormones, and contributes to poor nutrition.
Nutrition and sleep
Sleep and good nutrition are essential for health for many long-term reasons.
Poor nutrition can also cause sleep problems. It is essential to have sufficient intake of vitamins, plants, and minerals to have restful and restorative sleep.
A study conducted by the American Society for Nutrition shows that people who sleep less than 7 hours per night consume less vitamins A, D, and B1. They have a low intake of magnesium, calcium, and zinc. Our body does not produce most of these micronutrients; the role of our diet and environment is to provide them in sufficient quantity. The study thus shows that people with short sleep duration could greatly benefit from the role of dietary supplements to make up for their lack of intake of vitamins and minerals. If you want to take control and no longer have sleep problems, you can start by including in your diet plants, vitamins, and minerals that your body lacks. Discover our sleep gummies that will help you quickly fall back into the arms of Morpheus!
Which foods promote sleep?
Here is a list of foods and drinks to favor to limit sleep disorders and falling asleep:
- hazelnuts and almonds, as they relax muscles, intensify the secretion of the sleep hormone, melatonin, while softening that of stress (cortisol).
- honey, as it promotes restorative sleep by increasing insulin levels in the blood and stimulating the production of tryptophan in the brain.
- herbal tea or infusions (to be taken 30 minutes before bedtime)
- a banana at dinner, as it is considered a natural sleeping aid
- salmon, the vitamin B6 present in fish helps produce melatonin, the sleep hormone
- cherry juice, many varieties of cherries are a natural source of melatonin
- foods rich in tryptophan such as turkey but also warm milk
- green leafy vegetables (kale for example) soothe the nervous system and promote muscle relaxation
- dark chocolate increases blood sugar levels and stimulates sleep hormones
Which foods to avoid in the evening?
- red meat because it takes longer to digest than other meats
- avoid consuming caffeine, tea, and alcohol which are stimulants
- citrus fruits, for those who already have insomnia, should be avoided!
- legumes because they have a long digestion process
- spicy dishes will make you very thirsty and may have a negative effect on your sleep quality
- starchy foods to avoid storing excess calories during the night
The quality of your sleep and the regulation of your weight are very strongly linked. So let's all go back under the covers to eat better!
Come answer our questionnaire to find out what your body's needs are and so that we can provide you with your personalized solution.
