What You Eat Affects Your Sleep
A good night’s sleep is so important for daily function. Lack of sleep affects memory, productivity, decision making, the body’s ability to maintain a healthy weight, and the body’s ability to recover from illness, among countless other functions. There are a lot of factors that play into getting a good night’s rest, being a mother of a two year old I remember all too well those endless nights with a newborn, two attention starved cats, and one snoring husband. Besides just noise distractions, there are several others that immediately come to mind, the temperature of your home, the mattress you sleep on, what you wear to bed and what time you go to bed, but hardly anyone stops to think about gut health relating to sleep patterns.
Melatonin is a hormone most commonly associated with sleep, but it also has functions that assist in regulating the GI system and appetite suppression. The gut produces 400 percent more melatonin than the pineal gland, it also produces the “feel good” neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and GABA that enable the body to relax and lower anxiety levels. The health of the gut directly impacts the body’s ability to produce these sleep inducing hormones.
There are many things you can do that boost your gut bacteria:
- Eat Organic: Pesticides and agricultural chemicals may be responsible for killing off good bacteria in the gut. If it’s not in your budget, follow the clean 15 and dirty dozen for a ranked list of fruits and veggies that have the most/ least pesticides.
- Eat Probiotics: Greek yogurt which is also packed with protein, kefir, and Kim chi all increase good bacteria for the gut.
- Drink Plenty of Water: Stay hydrated so all of your bodily systems work properly. The body uses water to help flush out unnecessary toxins.
- Eat a Variety of Vegetables: A variety of veggies offer lots of fiber to help clean out the gut, as well as offering a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
- Stop Eating Sugary and Fried Foods: These foods create a gut environment that is conducive to bad bacteria and unhospitable to good bacteria.
- Exercise: Stress can affect the ratio of good to bad bacteria in the gut. Exercise not only helps alleviate stress, it also improves metabolism and can assist the body in flushing out unwanted toxins.
What you eat every day has a huge effect on your gut health, which affects sleep, which in turn affects gut health. All of the systems in the body are connected, and many of the problems we experience on a daily basis start with the food we put into our bodies. Replace those fried French fries and snack cakes with fresh fruits and vegetables, you should buy organic when possible, and be mindful when making decisions about what food you choose for yourself and your family. When you don’t have the time or energy to cook, Cuisine for Healing has got your covered with tons of options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, always organic, always mindfully prepared to add the most nutrients into every dish. Try our new Caesar Salad made with delicious Greek Yogurt Caesar Dressing!
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6290721/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198018/
