How To Get Restorative Sleep
How To Get Restorative Sleep: Part I
With stress running high in 2020, the importance of restful sleep is imperative for staying healthy. But just because you slept for 8 hours, doesn't mean it was restorative. In a somewhat personal experiment, I have put what I have learned into 5 different categories that I wil break down in a 5-part-series. I used a sleep tracker called the Poar Vantage M to show us the results. Turns out, the amount of deep sleep and REM sleep greatly increased when I did these 5 tips. This is Part 1!
Part 1: Dont eat within 2 hours of going to bed!
Cut that midnight snack! Eating after dinner and close to bed time hurts your ability to recover. Instead of being able to relax and regenerate, your body is now expending energy to digest those late night bites. It effects your Heart Rate Variability which is important for optimal recovery due to what it does to allow yur autonomic nervous system (ANS) to recharge.
Some cons of eating before bed incude:
Poor Sleep
Depending on what you eat and at what time of day, the foods you consume can disrupt your sleep patterns. Foods containing caffeine like chocolate and coffee may seem like a good idea before bed, but the caffeine boosts your energy and may cause you to wake up several times in the middle of the night.
Every biological process, including eating and sleeping, is controlled by your body's circadian rhythms. This internal clock is regulated by the environment, meaning you're more alert during the day because your body slows at night in anticipation of sleep. Eating earlier in the evening has been shown to better support the body's cicadian rythyms
Slower Metabolism
Eating before bed can cause the body’s metabolism to slow. The body slows down its functions at night to prepare for sleep, but consuming foods, especially those high in carbs, can make it harder to digest and result in weight gain.
"A lot of things are going slower [at night]", says Eric Ravussin, PhD and Director of the Nutritional Obesity Research Center at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana. "Cortisol goes down. Your heart rate goes way down. And all of these are really modulating your energy expenditure," he explains.
Before bed, think about the following:
- Give yourself 2-3 hours to digest larger meals before bed; eating larger meals later means your digestive system has to work harder, making it more difficult to fall asleep.
- Consume a meal rich in high-GI carbohydrates about 4 hours before bedtime; think about including foods like potatoes, breads, pasta and rice at that time.
- Ensure you’re getting lots of micronutrients like Vitamins A, C and E from whole food sources throughout the day; that means prioritizing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet, which can help lower oxidative stress and improve sleep and recovery.
- Eat tryptophan-rich proteins alongside a carbohydrate-rich dinner to help your body produce melatonin, improving sleep quality; opt for good sources of tryptophan like seeds, eggs, turkey, fish, pumpkin and beans.
- Improve your sleep quality and quantity by having specific foods like kiwifruit and tart cherry juice before bed (look for unsweetened versions, and try doses of 30-60ml before bed).
GO SMAC!
Julian
