Difficulty sleeping might have its roots in what you’re eating, researchers suggest. The foods in your kitchen can influence how well you sleep, and a lack of sleep can, in turn, dictate your food choices the next day. Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a nutritional medicine expert at Columbia University, explains that this forms a cycle where your nightly rest impacts your diet, which then affects the quality of your subsequent sleep.
Over the years, sleep duration has diminished, potentially correlating with the growing prevalence of obesity and diabetes. This has prompted St-Onge and her research team to delve into how diet might influence sleep. Their focus was on carbohydrates, important for blood sugar regulation, as they suspect these could be a contributing factor.
Consumption of carbohydrates raises blood glucose levels, but the extent and speed vary by carb type. The glycemic index (GI) is a tool used to gauge the effect of foods on blood glucose. High-GI foods tend to increase blood sugar and insulin levels more quickly than those that are low-GI, which digest slower. Consuming low-GI foods like certain fruits, vegetables, legumes, minimally processed grains, low-fat dairy, and nuts is beneficial for maintaining cardiovascular health.
Conversely, high-GI foods such as white bread, rice cakes, and other processed carbohydrates might harm heart health. A 2020 study indicated that high-GI diets might be linked to insomnia, especially among postmenopausal women. Another analysis found that people getting less than 5.5 hours of sleep tend to consume more calories and macronutrients across the board.
It’s been well-established that sleep deprivation can lead to an increased intake of calories and unhealthy food choices, aiding in weight gain. Short sleep duration appears to alter the brain’s response to food, as shown in St-Onge’s previous research. For men, less sleep elevates the hunger hormone ghrelin, while in women, it affects GLP-1 levels, causing a reduced feeling of fullness after meals.
For better sleep, what should one eat? St-Onge advises maintaining a balanced diet throughout the day to support nightly rest. Foods like legumes and whole grains are effective in preventing sleep disorders. The Mediterranean diet, renowned for promoting heart health, also supports better sleep by including fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, and olive oil as staples.
Following a Mediterranean-style diet, as a 2018 study found, tends to result in fewer sleep disturbances and a lower incidence of insomnia. Likewise, a 2020 study noted that adherence to this diet, particularly with high consumption of fruits, vegetables, and legumes, correlates with better sleep quality.
While diet is crucial, it isn’t the sole influencer of sleep quality. Dr. Maya Vadiveloo, a nutrition expert at the University of Rhode Island, points out that several factors like stress, noise, lack of physical activity, and exposure to electronic devices can impede sleep.
Eating habits such as late-night meals and consuming spicy or acidic foods may also disrupt sleep by causing discomfort or acid reflux. Vadiveloo suggests that these disruptions vary among individuals, underscoring the need for personalized approaches. She recommends keeping a food and mood diary to track and identify patterns between diet and sleep quality.
Noticing when stress levels affect sleep and food choices can be beneficial. Understanding what you consumed on nights of good sleep versus restless nights can help develop better eating habits for improved sleep outcomes.
