Nutrition and its Relationship with Sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge.

I definitely feel a big difference in my focus, performance, and wellbeing, depending on my quality of rest.

I’ll bet you do too.

How Food Affects Your Sleep

“The more closely a species adhere to their natural evolved diet, the healthier that species will be.” – Eric Edmeades

It might be evident that a double espresso right before bed might disrupt your sleep, but what you eat in the middle of the day can also affect your rest.

The best thing you can do to ensure a sound sleep is to maintain a healthy diet.

One of the most significant improvements reported by our clients after they complete the WildFit 90 Day Challenge, is their ability to sleep better.

This makes sense! The more balanced your body is, the better your processes work, which increases the chance of better sleep.

If you do a bit of research, you can find specific supplements that improve your sleep quality. Before that, I would recommend you focus on increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Also add (within reason) meat, fish, and eggs.

When You Eat Is Important

When you eat can have a significant impact on your sleep.

Have you noticed that when you eat a heavy meal right before you go to sleep, you wake up sluggish and tired the next day?

Digesting food takes a lot of energy.

If you eat a big, heavy meal right before bed, your body spends a lot of energy on digesting this food and less on repairing, memory consolidation and hormone regulation.

Eating patterns can influence your internal circadian rhythm. If you’re jumping from one diet to another, your sleep can vary.

The best thing you can do for your sleep is to establish healthy eating habits.

Hacks For Falling Asleep Faster

What you eat and when you eat are not the only factors that impact your sleep.

Our habits, exposure to natural and artificial light, stress and worries also play a significant role.

Here are 5 hacks to improve your sleep:

#1: Slow down before bed

Block in some downtime before you go to bed. Do something that relaxes you. Take a warm bath, read a book, solve crosswords, drink herbal tea, listen to relaxing music, try drawing or painting, play a board game, go for a slow walk, or meditate. Experiment and find something that works for you.

#2: Relax your body

When you’ re laying in bed, close your eyes and relax your face muscles. Start from the top of your head and move downwards to your face, jaws, and tongue. Move downwards to your shoulders, down your arms. Then relax your chest, your spine, and abdomen. Continue down your legs to your toes.

For some people, it helps to visualize calmness. Imagine that you are floating weightless in water, watching a starry night or imagine laying in warm, soft sand.

#3: Stay away from screens

Blue light can interrupt your circadian rhythm by suppressing melatonin production (your sleep hormone). Give yourself a break from screens in the evening. Aim for two hours before bedtime.

Turn off LED-lights and fluorescent lights as they contain a high amount of blue light. (This is a good time to light some candles.)

You can also buy glasses that block out blue light.

#4: Make your bedroom pitch dark

Block out as much light in your room as possible. It’s a GAME-CHANGER!

#5: Expose yourself to natural light during the daytime.

It can balance out some of the exposure to artificial light. Also, it can have a positive effect on your circadian rhythm.

What is your favorite sleep hack? Comment below!