Have you ever questioned why some foods leave you feeling sleepy whilst others give you that lift? When you are tired, do you feel yourself reaching out for that sugary treat, or feeling very tired after a big meal? In addition to giving you nourishment, food can also pick you up or slow you down. Food can also make the difference between a good night's sleep and an average one.
Learning how certain food work in the body and what their purpose is can help your concentration during the day and help you get a good night's sleep.
Snooze Foods and Pick-Me-Up Foods
Tryptophan is an amino acid that is converted to serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is known as the "sleep" and "happy mood" neurotransmitter. Carbohydrates make tryptophan more available to the brain. This is why, after a carbohydrate heavy meal, you may feel sleepy.
Proteins that come from the food you eat are the building blocks of tryptophan. A meal therefore of a combination of carbs and protein will set you up for a better night's sleep. The best bedtime snack is one that contains both carbs and protein. This can be an apple dipped in peanut butter, peanut butter on toast, plain yoghurt with a fruit (and maple syrup if needed)
Nature's Best Sleeping Pill
Melatonin is a hormone in the body that regulates sleep. In the brain, tryptophan is converted to serotonin and then to melatonin. Melatonin in secreted at night when it is completely dark by the pineal gland in the brain. The body does this in order to induce and to maintain sleep.
That Post Lunch Dip
A temporary lull in alertness is often felt mid-afternoon after lunch. If you have eaten a high carb meal at lunchtime, you may feel a bit sleepy. However, it is a naturally occurring function of your circadian rhythm to feel tired at 2 different times in the day – 2am and 2pm.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant that works by blocking the actions of certain hormones in the brain that will by you feel sleepy. It is important not to consume caffeine too close to bedtime as its effect may persevere for several hours into your bedtime.
Alcohol: Sleep friend or foe
It is unfortunately a myth that alcohol at bedtime can aid your sleep. It may help you to feel relaxed and fall asleep in the short term, however alcohol can disrupt your sleep and stop you from entering the deeper stages of sleep. This may cause you to wake up still feeling tired.
Originally published on May 30, 2016
