Wow, this is the last post for the blogging from A to Z Challenge. For this ‘Z’ post I want to talk about how food can effect sleep. What foods help you stack in the Zzz’s and what ones keep you from going to Zzz-land?
Ironically as I write this post I’m feeling really tired and have a headache. Mostly due to the fact that I’ve struggled to get to sleep in the last few nights.
However, overall I would say I’ve generally been sleeping better since my diet has changed.
Foods that Might Hinder Sleep
When my son was first diagnosed with food intolerances we changed to eating a rye based bread or making our own as most commercial breads contain soy flour. After a while I realised that I was sleeping better even when I was very busy with things like conference preparation. Things that would have normally kept me up thinking. Now I would very rarely eat any sort of bread (even gluten free).
For me I know that caffeine definitely effects me and can keep me awake. I don’t like coffee and have learnt not to drink tea as I found the occassional cup was keeping me awake. I also try and limit my chocolate intake.
I’m really starting to think that tomato based sauces can keep me awake.
There are a number of foods and drinks that others say should be avoided to aid in getting a good nights sleep. These include:
- caffeine
- alchohol
- spicy foods
- foods high in fat
- too much protein too close to bedtime
Foods that Might Help with Sleep
We’ve often been told that a warm milk drink can help with sleep. It seems it’s possibly because of the tryptophan it contains. When ingested the tryptophan is converted into melatonin. This is a hormone that regulates sleepiness.
I would say now that milk would stop me from sleeping as I’d be likely to have stomach pains. A few weeks ago I made a grain free lasagna. The white sauce was made with almond milk but did use normal cheese. I also ate a little ice cream for dessert. That night I had stomach pains possibly from too much dairy.
Fortunately there are a number of foods & drinks apart from dairy that contain tryptophan. Foods that contain magnesium, calcuim and B6 can also help. These include:
- nuts and seeds
- cheese
- salmon
- tuna
- apples
- bananas
- avocados
- lettuce
- spinach
- chamomile tea
- peppermint tea
So what do I think has been keeping me awake lately? Possibly some of the things that have been on my mind. Plus, I’ve also eaten a few different foods in the last few weeks with Easter and a few birthday celebrations. Perhaps there is a bit of a build of something my body doesn’t like?
Have you found that particular food or drinks helps you to get to sleep? Conversely have you found particular food or drinks keep you awake?