Few things feel as good as waking up rested and energised after a great sleep. But for many of us, that’s hard to come by. Plenty of factors can influence sleep quality, but let’s take a look at the role of food choices made during the day.
Preliminary research has proven that eating habits may impact the quality and length of your sleep. This can turn into a vicious cycle—you don’t sleep well at night, and the energy-giving foods you turn to the next day to keep you going could be the exact same foods (caffeine and high-fat snacks) that are sabotaging your rest.
Sound familiar? Well, when it comes to improving your sleep, there are many factors which are important, including good nutrition/eating habits. Here are our top tips for how to eat right to sleep tight:
1.Going to bed with a very full stomach may lead to discomfort and sleep-sabotaging indigestion; hence, aim for just enough to satisfy.
2.Don’t overdo the calories and amount of fat at dinner time. Aim for balanced meals including healthy sources of carbohydrates – veggies, fruits, whole grains and beans.
3.Watch your intake of caffeine and alcohol, which can disrupt normal sleep patterns and result in those middle-of-the-night wakeful moments.
4.Do most of your hydrating earlier in the day. A full bladder can interfere with a good night’s sleep, so be sure to taper off your fluid intake during the evening.
Just using a few of these tweaks could transform your slumber, so give them a try. Sweet dreams!