Nutrition and sleep

Our sleep and daily nutrition are integral parts of our everyday lives and important building blocks for our health, performance and well-being. Here you can find out how our daily diet influences our sleep and why an adequate supply of nutrients can significantly improve sleep and falling asleep.

Table of contents

1. Nutrition & Sleep
2. How sleep influences nutrition
3. How nutrition affects sleep
4. Nutrition tips for good sleep
5. Conclusion

1. Nutrition & Sleep

We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, and for good reason. During sleep, numerous regenerative processes take place, hormone levels and metabolism are regulated, and the day's experiences are processed in our brains. In addition to good sleep, a balanced and healthy diet is also crucial for our health and performance in everyday life, because our bodies rely on sufficient energy and a good supply of nutrients both during the day and while we sleep. At night, when we regenerate, our bodies work at full speed to replenish our important energy stores and provide new energy for the coming day.

Our sleep and our daily diet therefore fundamentally interact in a healthy way. A healthy diet and balanced nutrient intake have a decisive influence on our sleep and falling asleep behavior, while the duration and quality of our nightly sleep can affect our eating behavior.

2. How sleep affects nutrition

Even during the night, and especially during deep sleep phases, the body needs many nutrients to support the numerous regeneration processes and to fill the energy stores in the cells. Sleep problems or lack of sleep disrupt these regenerative processes and can also disrupt the hormonal balance.

Our hunger and satiety are mainly controlled by the two hormones leptin and ghrelin. While we produce increased amounts of the appetite-stimulating ghrelin during the day, leptin ensures that we do not feel any appetite during sleep. Various studies show that lack of sleep This hormone cycle is impaired and promotes a pronounced feeling of hunger during the day, so that people tend to eat more and more often during the day if they have not slept sufficiently the night before. lack of sleep It also slows down fat metabolism, puts the body under stress, and has a negative effect on blood sugar and insulin levels. Sufficient and restful sleep is therefore an important factor for healthy eating habits during the day and should also be considered if you want to lose weight. Weight loss not be forgotten.

3. How nutrition affects sleep

How, what, and when we eat determines the type and quality of energy and nutrients we provide to our bodies. Our daily diet influences numerous processes in our body, affecting, among other things, our metabolism and hormone balance, and supports normal bodily functions, such as regulating our sleep-wake cycle and enabling us to fall asleep quickly and enjoy a restful night's sleep. By adopting sensible eating habits and avoiding or consuming certain nutrients, we can specifically improve falling asleep and sleep quality.

Eating habits & sleep

Consuming hard-to-digest foods, especially shortly before bedtime, can have a negative impact on sleep, as the digestive organs are working intensively and the body is occupied. It is therefore recommended not to eat your last meal too late so that the digestive process is completed before bedtime and sleep is not disturbed. For a healthy diet that has a positive effect on sleep, it is also advisable to combine proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in a balanced ratio. In general, carbohydrate-rich foods can contribute to falling asleep faster, while a protein-rich diet can have a positive effect on sleep quality. Proteins support the important regenerative processes during sleep and enable the absorption of amino acid L-tryptophan, which our body ultimately needs to produce the sleep hormone melatonin.

Food, certain nutrients & sleep

Certain nutrients also affect our sleep. Stimulating foods such as caffeine or large amounts of alcohol should be avoided in the late afternoon and evening, as they can negatively impact sleep. Caffeine promotes alertness and stimulates the nervous system, making it difficult to relax before bedtime and even fall asleep. Alcohol also negatively impacts sleep due to the waste products produced during digestion and can lead to problems falling asleep and staying asleep.

Particular Groceries They also provide valuable nutrients that can positively influence falling asleep and sleep quality. These include, for example, the vitamin C responsible for a healthy sleep-wake rhythm. Sleep hormone melatonin and its precursor L-tryptophan and the mineral magnesium. You can find out which foods and nutrients can help you fall asleep in this Article.

4. Nutritional tips for good sleep

➥ Avoid nerve stimulants containing caffeine, large amounts of alcohol or nicotine in the last few hours before going to sleep.

➥ Pay attention to your fluid intake and drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to keep your metabolism active. Water, light fruit juice, or unsweetened tea are best.

➥ Heavy meals disrupt sleep. Avoid high-fat or high-sugar foods in the evening and eat a last, preferably light meal up to three hours before bedtime.

➥ Some Groceries provide valuable nutrients that can positively influence sleep. These include grape and sour cherry juice (Melatonin), bananas & almonds or the famous hot milk with honey (L-tryptophan) as well as pumpkin seeds & whole grain products (magnesium).

5. Conclusion

Nutrition and sleep do indeed interact in a crucial way. While sufficient and restful sleep contributes to healthy eating habits, the quality of our diet and nutrient intake play a decisive role in the quality of our sleep at night and the process of falling asleep in the evening. Anyone who wants to improve their sleep in the long term or positively influence their eating habits should therefore also support the other area so that nothing stands in the way of a healthy and productive everyday life!

Best wishes and see you soon!