Foods that promote sleep

The sleep

Sleep is a period of rest during which one's conscious state of awake is suspended and one enters a certain psycho-physical condition marked by the suspension of volition and consciousness, as well as a significant slowdown of neuron-vegetative functions. It is a crucial part of life, a complicated phenomenon that takes up nearly a third of our time and is essential for bodily and mental recuperation.

Sleep requirements are higher in childhood and decrease as we grow older: throughout adolescence, we require approximately 10 hours of sleep every night, however in adulthood, 7-8 hours of sleep is sufficient to wake up rejuvenated. In general, everyone has their own individual sleep requirements.

What is insomnia?

Some people have no trouble falling asleep in the evening, but then wake up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason, or wake up very early in the morning and can't fall asleep again. We're dealing with insomnia in these circumstances, a condition that causes us to perceive sleep as light and of poor quality.

When a person has difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep for three or more nights a week, it becomes a clinical concern, causing impairment in everyday activities.

Insomnia Symptoms and Diagnosis

Insomnia can appear in a variety of ways, the most common of which are described below:

• Having trouble falling asleep;

• waking up frequently throughout the night;

• waking up early.

In order to make an accurate diagnosis of insomnia, at least one of the symptoms described above must be present, as well as detrimental consequences during daytime activities (e.g. difficulty concentrating and memory , excessive tiredness , exhaustion, weakness, etc.).

Insomnia's causes

• Insomnia has a variety of causes. To mention a few, here are a few of the most common:

• Seasonal changes (photoperiod modification); psychological stress, anxiety disorders, and depression

• shift labor entails a shift in the sleep-wake cycle;

• many types of organic illnesses (e.g. joint and muscle pain , restless legs syndrome , obstructive sleep apnea syndrome , uncontrolled arterial hypertension and heart rate perceived as tachycardia, gastro esophageal reflux , urinary incontinence - nocturia - etc.)

Insomnia nutrition: basic guidelines

To achieve optimal sleep hygiene (i.e., a set of behaviors that physically favor a good night's sleep), it's required to follow a set of behavioral norms and dietary guidelines targeted at modifying bad eating habits and introducing foods that are favorable for the sleep-wake cycle. As a result, it's a good idea to:

• Large meals should be avoided in the evening. Having a good caloric allotment at breakfast, lunch, and for snacks is better than having a light meal at supper;

• In the evening, avoid eating foods that take a long time to digest, such as those high in fats;

• Choose foods high in calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins, as these micronutrients help the body relax.

• Choose foods high in tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body produce melatonin, a hormone that governs the sleep-wake cycle.

• Simple fat-free cooking methods are preferred: steamed, grilled, grilled, baked, baked, etc.

What Foods Should I Avoid If I Have Insomnia?

• Coffee, tea, ginseng drinks, energy drinks, cola, and other drinks containing stimulating nerve chemicals (e.g. caffeine) Nerve chemicals can also be found in chocolate (cocoa). After 14:00, it is especially not suggested to consume these items.

• Fried dishes, dips, fried sweets, or fried desserts filled with complex creams, as well as meats such as salami, sausage and others, as it is a high-fat diet;

• Foods that have been canned, pickled, pickled, and smoked;

• Because they produce poor sleep quality, spirits and spirits, including wine and beer;

• Watermelon, melon, pineapple, and other diuretic foods can help you avoid nocturia-related awakenings.

What Foods Should I Avoid If I Have Insomnia?

• Tomatoes, citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, grapefruits, mandarins, and so on), spices and scents like garlic, onion, and mint, and any other food that can trigger gastro esophageal reflux

What Can I Eat If I Have Insomnia?

• Bread, pasta, rice, barley, spelt, oats, and other complex carbohydrates, with whole meal varieties being preferred for their magnesium concentration;

• Beans, lentils, chickpeas, broad beans, soy, and other legumes should be consumed 2-4 times per week. It is possible to create tasty and functional unique dishes by combining pasta with cereals (e.g. pasta and beans, pasta and chickpeas).

• Eat no more than 2-4 servings of eggs per week;

• Meat that has been hammered and stripped of visible fat, both red and white. Because the skin is the component of the bird that has the greatest fat, it should be eaten without it.

• Fish, particularly blue fish (e.g., sardines, anchovies, mackerel, herring, etc.) and salmon, which are high in unsaturated fats like Omega-3. Fish proteins, unlike those found in meat, are lighter and easier to digest, making it a good supper option three to four times a week.

• Milk and cheese are essential sources of tryptophan, calcium, and B vitamins. Milk concentrate, in instance, is a milk concentrate that contains less fat than whole milk since it is processed. This cheese is strong in vitamins such as A, group B (B2 and B12), and antioxidant minerals such as zinc and selenium, in addition to great quantities of calcium and high biological value proteins, including tryptophan. Before night, drink a small glass of lukewarm milk (skim or semi-skimmed) to assist you sleep without bloating your stomach;

• Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, and other oily nuts are high in tryptophan. But be careful not to go overboard with the quantities: a modest handful (approximately 15-20 g) should suffice.

• Fresh fruit, such as bananas, cherries, and grapes, in moderate quantities (three to four fruits per day);

• Spinach, kale, lettuce, asparagus, and other green leafy vegetables, as well as red radicchio. Consume vegetables raw or cooked in steam for the shortest period feasible to retain a high concentration of tryptophan. Boiling isn't a good idea;

• Caffeine-free and sugar-free drinks, decaffeinated or barley coffee, decaffeinated tea, caffeine-free and sugar-free drinks

• Herbal teas having calming properties, such as chamomile, lemon balm, mallow, hawthorn, linden, and others, to be consumed lukewarm or fresh, ideally without additional sugar.

Insomnia: What to Do If You Can't Sleep

• Try to go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time each day.

• Avoid physically hard activities in the evening, such as sports, reading a difficult book, studying, or working, because they keep the mind too active, inhibiting the pre-sleep relaxation phase.

• When in bed, avoid using cellphones, tablets, PCs, and other electronic devices because they disrupt sleep quality and duration. Furthermore, the light emitted by the screen can prevent the release of melatonin, making falling asleep more difficult.

• Because electromagnetic waves impair sleep, darken the room as much as possible, turn off any lights, and avoid leaving electronic gadgets (e.g. TV) on.

• Quit smoking: nicotine is both an attractive and hazardous drug.

• Avoid napping during the day, unless it's for a short nap after lunch.

• Avoid wearing excessively tight pajamas at the waist, raise the head of the bed a few centimeters, and wait at least three hours after dinner before going to bed to better control gastro esophageal reflux.