Enhance Sleep Quality by Changing Your Eating Habits

How to Enhance Sleep Quality

Research is now telling us that the way we eat affects the way we sleep! Learn how adjusting your diet can help you get better quality rest each night.

How to Enhance Your Sleep Quality

Follow these tips for enhancing sleep quality. Improve the quality of your sleep!

1. Understand the circular effects.

Sleep affects your diet and vice versa. Quality rest helps curb excess appetite. A good night’s sleep also helps prevent weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, and many other serious conditions. We absolutely need sleep to produce Human Growth Hormone. This hormone is key for burning fat. If you don’t get quality sleep or you don’t sleep enough, you compromise the amount of HGH you make.

2. Enjoy a broad variety of foods.

A recent study found that people who slept 7 to 8 hours a night ate the greatest variety of foods. A diverse diet not only tastes good, but it also enhances your chances of getting all the nutrients your body needs.

3. Lose weight.

Sleep issues are more common in people who are overweight. Yes, it is a catch 22, but if you begin with some steps to reduce your weight, you will improve your sleep and if you improve your sleep, you will lose more weight!

4. Do not eat before bedtime.

Eating right before bed can cause you to not sleep as well. When we sleep our body has a plethora of jobs to take care of for us in the form of restoration and regeneration and digestion is not be one of them! If you are digesting food while sleeping, you are not allowing your body to do all the other things it’s supposed to do while sleeping.

5. Use caffeine wisely.

Caffeine will effect your sleep regardless of whether you fully realize it. Limit caffeinated drinks to before lunchtime only.

6. Spot hidden sources of caffeine.

Even if you limit coffee to before lunchtime, you may still be ingesting caffeine. Remember that caffeine is also present in chocolate as well as in some medications, tea, and soft drinks.

7. Consume alcohol in moderation or not at all.

It may seem like cocktails put you to sleep faster, but they will undoubtedly interfere with the deeper stages of slumber that are the most restorative. Many experts recommend a maximum of one alcoholic beverage per day for women and two for men, but if you can get by with none, then that is best.

8. Prepare for the post-lunch dip.

You may experience drowsiness after eating a big lunch. That feeling is partly due to the energy being used for digestion and partly due to natural body rhythms that induce fatigue. Do not reach for the a caffeine at this time. A brisk walk, a few jumping jacks or some other simple body movements can help to increase energy in the afternoon. Even if it seems like the opposite of what you want to do, go ahead and try moving when afternoon drowsiness sets in. It should easily re-energize you.

9. Pay attention to micronutrients.

People who sleep well also show higher levels of micronutrients. Micronutrients are important substances your body requires in small amounts. Thus, consume foods for sleep throughout the day to help you sleep better. A varied diet full of natural, whole foods will help supply your body’s micronutrients.

10. Get enough protein and fat.

Dietary protein and fats are essential to good health, including good sleep.

11. Drink enough water.

Drink enough water so that you are not dehydrated by nighttime but avoid excessive water before bed. The best rule of thumb is to drink when you are thirsty. If you have eaten enough food during the day and still feel hungry at night, it is usually your body telling you that you need more water, but we often mistake it for hunger.

There is a close connection between your diet and your sleeping habits. Eating foods rich in variety and high in nutrients, along with choosing sensible snacks not too close to bedtime, will help keep you trim and well-rested.