Tossing and turning at night? Here's how to have a good night's sleep
Are you desperate for more sleep? If so, you may want to look at what you are eating. This is because sleep patterns are regulated by our hormones – particularly serotonin and melatonin – which in turn are affected by what we eat.
Melatonin rises in the evening, causing us to fall asleep, and drops in the morning, waking us up.
Some foods that have a sedative effect are rich in tryptophan, which in turn increases our levels of melatonin and makes us sleepy. Other foods perk up the brain and keep us awake.
There are also specific nutrients that aid quality sleep, and an imbalance of these can also create sleep problems. So if you want a good night’s sleep, you need to make sure that your body is getting enough of these sleepy nutrients and up your intake of tryptophan-rich foods, too.
Snooze foods
B vitamins are an important group of nutrients that can aid sleep. They help the body release energy from food, maintain healthy nerves, digestion, enhance mood and combat stress and anxiety. Vitamin B6 is needed to convert tryptophan in foods into serotonin. B vitamins also help stabilise blood sugar levels which helps you get a good night's sleep.
Eat more: wholegrains, pulses, nuts and seeds, yeast extract, tofu, dairy products, eggs, avocados, potatoes, mushrooms, green leafy vegetables, fish and chicken.
Iron is essential for the formation of haemoglobin which carries oxygen through the body and ensures our organs receive enough while we sleep. Deficiency in iron can cause you to wake up in the night, making you feel tired during the day.
Eat more: Liver, kidney, red meat, oily fish, dried fruit, egg yolks, wholegrains, green leafy vegetables, pulses and tofu.
Calcium and magnesium are important for healthy nerves, muscles and regulating heart rate and blood pressure. They help us to relax and unwind and cope more effectively with stress.
Eat more: Dairy products, eggs, tofu, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds (especially almonds and sesame), shellfish, sardines, whitebait, tuna and wholegrains.
Chromium is essential for controlling blood sugar levels as it encourages the production of insulin. An imbalance of blood sugar levels can cause us to wake during the night.
Eat more: Seafood, pulses, meat, dairy products, wholegrains and nuts.
Top up your tryptophan
Certain foods are particularly rich in this essential amino acid. These include turkey, fish, beef, cottage cheese, eggs, soy protein, pumpkin and sesame seeds, wholegrains, seaweed, potatoes, bananas, lentils and figs.
Eating carbohydrates with tryptophan-containing foods makes this amino acid more available. A high carbohydrate meal such as pasta will help you sleep, while a high protein meal without carbohydrates may keep you awake since many protein-rich foods contain the amino acid tyrosine, which perks you up.
What to eat and when
Eat a high protein, medium carbohydrate meal at breakfast and lunch – this will keep you alert and active.
In the evening boost your tryptophan levels by choosing a meal that is high in complex carbohydrates with a small amount of protein. Meal options could include bean casserole with wholemeal rice or baked sweet potato, turkey stir-fry with noodles, wholemeal pasta with pesto or parmesan cheese and salad, chicken and barley stew or a tuna salad sandwich.
Top 10 sleepy tips
Eat a light dinner about two hours before sleeping – a heavy meal can lead to an uncomfortable night.
If you're prone to heartburn, avoid spicy or fatty foods, which can aggravate this.
Limit how much you drink before bed so you won’t wake during the night for a trip to the bathroom.
If you have an evening snack choose one that contains carbohydrate with protein and calcium. Calcium helps the body use tryptophan, which explains why a glass of milk at bedtime can make you sleepy. Other good choices include oatmeal biscuits, wholegrain cereal and milk, tahini on crackers, banana and yogurt, and nut and seed butters on toast.
Cut down on alcohol – it leads to interrupted sleep and also destroys B vitamins which are key for good sleep.
Cut down on smoking – nicotine stimulates the brain.
Cut down on caffeine – this stimulant can still affect you 20 hours after having it.
Reduce stress and anxiety.
Create a restful environment in the bedroom – black-out blinds or curtain linings can help keep out natural light which can wake you earlier.
Give yourself time to unwind with a warm bath or relaxing music. Essential oils, such as orange blossom, meadowsweet or lavender can help you unwind.