The Sleep Diet

The combination of diet and sleep may seem a non-sense; instead it is shown that those who are unable to sleep well and for a few hours a day risk having an increase in body mass. A sleep diet involves the consumption of certain foods, because the nature of some foods can cause sleep disturbances. With the beginning of Autumn, the sense of fatigue and drowsiness is also frequent, due to the gradual adaptation of the organism to the first days of cold.

The sleep diet instead includes the consumption of minerals and vitamins, which activate the metabolism, such as: Vitamin B1, with anti-fatigue function, which is a source of energy and is essential for nerve cells; Vitamin C, an antioxidant and important for the immune system. Go ahead therefore to: legumes, whole grains, peanut seeds, sunflower seeds, broccoli, strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, spinach, black currants, peppers, raspberries, kiwi, mango, papaya, etc.

It is preferable to avoid foods with excessive sodium content, such as pretzels and chips in sachets for example, and instead take foods that help you relax, such as rice, pasta, bread, barley.

It is important to know that all foods containing a particular amino acid, tryptophan, are able to facilitate the synthesis of serotonin, the hormone that stimulates relaxation; to sleep well then you can start by increasing the intake of foods that contain this amino acid: among the vegetables the red radicchio, lettuce, garlic and onion, among the fruit it is preferable the fresh one of the season but also papaya, bananas and mangoes, and also legumes.

What happens to those who sleep badly

In fact, those who sleep badly produce ghrelin, a hormone generated during the night, which increases the desire for sweets and carbohydrates during the other hours of the day; this is why a sleep diet is necessary, able to help the subject sleep well, also avoiding getting fat. Satiety also depends on the amount of leptin in the blood; people with insomnia have in fact a decrease of this hormone within their own organism.

To sleep well and get a pleasant calming effect, it is useful to drink a glass of rice milk and coconut water in equal portions before going to sleep, or a papaya and date smoothie with the pulp of half papaya, three fresh dates and a little water, both help reduce anxiety and stress by helping, thus facilitating sleep.

The diet to sleep well must be followed throughout the day, in fact it is very important to prepare the body for relaxation and calm during the day to find yourself at an advantage in the evening. Excellent at mid-afternoon a smoothie with 2 apricots, the pulp of half mango and a glass of apple juice, or a smoothie with half a banana and a glass of almond milk.

Hope this can be helpful!

Much Love,

Manuela