How Nutrition Can Help Improve Your Sleep Quality

I know there have been times where sleep is a struggle whether it is sickness, newborn stage, or maybe drinking caffeine too late. But there are times where sleep just continues to be elusive. Even if all the other external factors seem to be in line you or your kids are waking often and it is not because you have to go to the bathroom. You are overwhelmed and wanting answers. This is what I want to address today!

Sleep is so important for health, growth, immune support, and really everything. It is the time when your body can really heal so to speak and if that is disrupted the whole body suffers. There are many ways to support a great sleep environment and I always encourage people to get their airways assessed for sleep apnea, sleep disordered breathing etc. I want to focus on the food/nutrition side of it today.

The first aspect I want to talk about is bedtime snack. Bedtime snacks have gotten a bad wrap due to many people stating their involvement in weight gain or acid reflux. What I have seen with many of my clients though is their blood sugar is dipping in the night which wakes them up and makes it harder to fall back asleep. I will sometimes have clients trial with a bedtime snack to see if that helps. Now, I am not talking about a big heavy meal or just chips, crackers, popcorn. I like to incorporate a higher fat food like butter and a better option for carbohydrate such as sourdough crackers. You can include protein as well, but I like to keep it a little less right before bed since it takes more energy to digest. (With some people I remove the bedtime snack so it really depends on each person's situation.)

Higher fat helps balance blood sugar and a little carbohydrate can help keep it at a stable range and have a calming effect for people. If you struggle with acid reflux eating 2 hours before bed can be helpful to not have it right as you are going to sleep. If you go to sleep around 10pm having a small snack around 8 can be helpful for maintaining sleep. Other foods that are helpful for getting quality sleep and help produce melatonin are pistachios, tart cherries, eggs, fish, rice, milk, bananas, etc.

Some bedtime snack ideas can include:

• sourdough toast, butter, and some pistachios

• Greek yogurt, bananas and/or cherries, and pumpkin seeds

• organic grass fed whole milk with banana and a little cinnamon as a smoothie

• mashed sweet potato, butter, and cinnamon

• hard boiled egg, salt, and an orange

• dates with peanut butter and shredded coconut

• red apple slices with skin on with almond or peanut butter

• a hunk of butter and some cherries (don't have to put those together)

Another factor that can impact sleep can be drinking too much right before bed. Drinking throughout the day is helpful and slowing down and hour or two before bed is ideal. Also, for us adults not consuming caffeine after 2 or 3pm can make a difference as well. Limiting chocolate for kids after 2 or 3 pm is also helpful as chocolate contains some caffeine.

Another side of sleep that is being talked about more is minerals. For both kids and adults minerals are needed to support quality sleep. Since heavy metals and parasites are antagonistic against mineral levels, supporting minerals can really make a big difference in sleep. And it is not just magnesium! Magnesium is extremely important and most people are deficient, but other minerals are important for sleep support as well. Calcium, zinc, phosphorus, iron, and potassium will all impact sleep quality. The best way to know where your mineral status is, is by doing a hair analysis! Blood tests can be helpful, but don't paint as full of a picture.

I don't normally recommend running out and getting all the supplements and taking them blindly. Testing helps identify what minerals could use some support and what foods we can try to incorporate to really build a robust mineral profile. If consumption of the mineral rich foods is an issue, then supplementation can be helpful to build minerals in the body.

Mineral rich food ideas include:

Magnesium: avocado, pumpkin seeds, almond butter, spinach

Calcium: whole milk Greek yogurt, cheese, broccoli

Zinc: beef, chicken, chickpeas, eggs, cashews

Phosphorus: milk/dairy products, nuts/seeds, eggs, fish

Iron: meats, beans/lentils, sesame and pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, molasses

Potassium: bananas, sweet potatoes, beans, potatoes, avocado, milk

Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy, with some fiber-rich carbohydrate options goes a long way in supporting mineral status. Limiting processed/packaged foods is ideal as well as many contain ingredients that increase inflammation which in turn will alter mineral status.

I hope these simple tips will help support you and your family to get better quality sleep! If sleep is something you are wanting to work on and dig deeper into what could be affecting your sleep don't hesitate to reach out for a free consultation to see how I could best support you.

*This post is intended for inspirational and informational purposes only, it is not a substitute for medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. Consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your routine.