In college, the cause of poor sleep and a restless night can be a noisy roommate or a late night. This is normal, believe me, I’ve been there. For those who have more trouble than the average person falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting a good night’s rest, this could be caused by further underlying issues. I’m addressing this partly because my dad has always been this person. As long as I can remember he has been a restless, light, and inconsistent sleeper, which is reflected in his daytime energy and mood. If you are like my dad and would like a few techniques to test out, then you’re in luck!
Close to 40 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems and about 20 million have occasional problems. You can thank your circadian rhythm for this. Circadian rhythm is our internal clock that tells us naturally when we should feel tired and feel more awake. There are many variables that can play into the regulation of our circadian rhythm, a few being work schedules and stress. Sleep and wake times can then influence factors regulating other parts of our health, such as our glucose tolerance. The blue light from TV screens or other electronic devices can affect your circadian rhythm and cause excess snacking or even night snacking. This, in turn, can negatively affect weight maintenance or sleep patterns. Interrupted sleep patterns can also lead to metabolic syndrome, as well as cardio vascular disease.
Below are some simple techniques to try and improve your sleep quality:
- Create a good environment that is quiet, peaceful, dim but mostly dark without any blue lights, and is at a cool temperature
- Refrain from leaving technology on so as to reduce the blue light it admits, which alters our circadian rhythm
- Be consistent with a bedtime and wake up time
- Avoid big meals right before bedtime, allowing at least 3 hours to digest
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol later in the day
- Make conscious decisions to turn off mental distractions and maybe try relaxation techniques
- Aim to get 8 hours of sleep each night
- Keep track of your sleep for at least 30 days and see if you’ve made a pattern and if that pattern is improving your sleep quality
- Try foods that are naturally rich in melatonin, like cherries, oatmeal with walnuts
- Choose complex carbohydrates like whole grains, pastas, or sweet potatoes to assist in boosting serotonin levels
- Try a cup of lavender or chamomile tea to comfort your digestive tract and ease insomnia
- Dark chocolate in moderation (about an ounce) is a good antioxidant and can reduce stress
- Omega-3 foods can also aid in reducing stress, anxiety and depression which can improve sleep
New research provides some interesting relationships between diet, weight, and sleep. A study conducted by researchers at Purdue University found that overweight and obese adults that are losing weight are sleeping better too! The common variable is that they were consuming more protein compared to the average person, in addition to a lower calorie diet. They even slept better, as opposed to those who lost weight but consumed only normal amounts of protein. The pilot study consisted of 14 individuals who consumed more protein than the average person over the course of four weeks. The main study consisted of 44 individuals that were overweight or obese, who either consumed normal amounts of protein or consumed higher amounts of protein on a weight loss diet. For 16 weeks, they consumed 0.8-1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Throughout the 16 weeks, they rated their quality of sleep every month, and the correlation was that the more protein they had in their diet while they lost weight, the better sleep they got after the intervention.
Everyone has a bad night’s sleep sometimes. Those who are most desiring of change are those who report having the most inconsistent sleep. While it’s true that everybody is different, and an approach that works for one person might be useful to another, it could also be true that, as stated above, weight loss and higher protein consumption can encourage a better night’s rest. Try any one of the above techniques and share your successes with other, as you could be of assistance to them too.