Sleep Deprivation? It could be what you eat

Sleep Deprivation? It could be what you eat....

Lately I have been either having trouble sleeping or waking up earlier than normal and not being able to get back to sleep - can anybody relate? With the nightâ€™s drawing in and a further lockdown in the UK, having our sleeping patterns disrupted can occur.

But how many of you know that the food you eat can also influence your sleep? I'm sure we all know that drinking coffee after a certain time of the day isn't a good idea as it stimulates your brain and gives you energy, but what about other foods that we should avoid, or even better what foods could help aid your sleep?

A few foods to avoid eating later in the day would be those which are very high in protein or carbs like pasta or rice as these food types take longer to digest which are great through the day, but in the evening a food that takes longer to digest can obstruct your sleeping pattern so opt for something more plant based which is a lot lighter and won't disrupt sleep.

ur digestive system slows down by 50% overnight so if we eat late or eat something thatâ€™s gonna take a while to digest then your sleeping can easily be disrupted.

Alcohol can make you drowsy, but it will make it harder for you to have a deep sleep and no doubt it will have you waking throughout the night.

Now this was a game changer for me, broccoli, yes, itâ€™s a vegetable and yes a lot of people see it as a super food but get this, broccoli has slow to digest fibre, so eating it at night is best avoided.

So, what foods can AID sleep, try having a kiwi fruit before bed, a recent study showed that 42% of those who ate a kiwifruit regularly before bed found it easier to fall asleep.

Try foods high in melatonin which will regulate your sleeping rhythm. Foods like almonds and walnuts as well as fatty fish like salmon or mackerel which are high in omega 3 and vitamin D which regulates your serotonin - your happy hormone which is also responsible for maintaining your sleep.

And my problem with sleeping? Well after looking into it I increased my vitamin D by more outdoor time AND eating more foods high in vitamin D and I am happy to say I am sleeping like a baby again. Night night!