What You Had For Dinner Could Be Keeping You Awake At Night

Food and sleep may seem like two distinct activities. Food is associated with nourishment, growth, and the body working to digest and extract the proper nutrients. Sleep, on the other hand, is more to do with relaxing, the body shutting down and restoring its energy for the day to come. But did you know your eating habits can influence your sleep and vice versa? This was one of the themes I discussed with Shayamal Vallabhjee on The Edge Code Podcast. You can watch it here. 

When we eat, what we eat, and how much we eat can impact how well the body digests food and the sleep quality. A lot of biological mechanisms are at play when we sleep. The main hormone responsible for activating sleep is melatonin. This is produced by the pineal gland and there are foods that can inhibit the production of this essential hormone.

If you don't measure you can't treat, the more data that we have the more informed decisions we can make

Dr. Marcus 

Over the course of years researchers have assessed this relationship between food and sleep. I also continuously measure my glucose levels before and after meals, and my team and I at Human Edge use data from wearable trackers like these to help our clients make tactical changes to their routines. I have also observed that the minute we decide to measure a particular outcome, our behavior towards it also shifts. The world is now equipped with technology that can track biological processes to the T, and some of the ones I use are Abbott CGM sensor, Oura Ring (for sleep), and the Apple Watch.

Every person’s body is different and their requirements are different as well. However, what remains constant are certain food groups, like refined carbohydrates, that can spike your glucose levels at night. So it’s best to avoid highly-processed carbs like carbohydrate foods such as white bread, rice, pasta, baked goods, etc at night. These foods have a high glycemic index and they lead to a surge in insulin, and stimulate your metabolism. Having such foods at lunch can make us feel drowsy and flatten our energy levels mid afternoon.

Second, these are very hard to digest, so the body works harder to break up these foods instead of relaxing and preparing for sleep. This can result in metabolic disorders as well as heartburn, indigestion, and acid reflux. 

Third, once your insulin levels dip after the initial surge, the body releases hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol that interrupt sleep continuity, and thus can lead to sleep disorders. In this way, high-carb meals at night reduce deep sleep and can result in impaired growth and regeneration of the body, immune response suppression, obesity, diabetes, etc. 

Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are beneficial for sleep. These help in the production of serotonin which along with melatonin helps in sleep. Another important function that this food group helps with the regulation of tryptophan. This essential amino acid helps in sleep, and crosses the blood-brain barrier in order to interact with the other chemicals in the brain to regulate mood and emotions. Complex carbohydrates and proteins help in the production of a healthy amount of tryptophan in entering the brain which then aids in sleep.

How Can You Ensure Proper Sleep and Metabolic Health

There are certain things you can do to ensure that your blood glucose levels and your cortisol levels don’t hamper your sleep and general wellbeing.

1. Plan your nutrition: Ensure that your diet consists of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes. Vegetables and fruits such as tomatoes, onions, okra, apples, pears and so on are also complex carbs. You can also include healthy fats such as avocados and fish in your diet. Additionally, there are also some foods that help in the production of melatonin (sleep hormone) such as pistachios, oats, and mushrooms.
2. Don’t eat till you are full: At night, you need to be more mindful while eating and it is a good practice to stop eating just before you feel full. One way to ensure this is portion control and avoiding distractions while eating, like watching the TV or scrolling on your phone. We do not realize how much we are eating and how fast we are eating when we’re glued to a screen. The content you watch can also increase your cortisol and adrenaline levels that slow down digestion. Eating a heavy meal or eating till you are full can put a strain on your digestive system which impacts sleep.
3. Eat well before bedtime: We require 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. If you sleep at 10 PM usually, then make sure you eat dinner at least 2 to 3 hours before you sleep. This will allow the body to digest the food well in advance, help the body receive proper nutrition, and assist  hormone production.
4. Avoid these things before sleeping: There are certain things you should avoid before going to bed. Activities like watching news or TV shows or movies that puts the body under stress, heavy workout, or engaging in any activity that makes the mind and body alert before bedtime should be avoided. It is also important to avoid consumption of caffeinated products especially around evening time. 

By following these simple things you can ensure that you get proper sleep, your digestion process works seamlessly, and that you get both the rest and nourishment you need to be healthy. 

Need Help To Sleep Better And Get Healthy?

While these tips can help you get started, at times you need to consult a physician to understand what more you can do to ensure better sleep and health. You can always book a session with me, and we can chat about how you can begin and the biohacks that can help you. 

This newsletter is a part of our ongoing series.