While many people are familiar with the concept of sleep hygiene, fewer folks consider how their diet can impact sleep quality.
Pretty much everyone out there knows that the quality of your sleep can set you up for a great or a horrible day. When you don’t get enough sleep, or the sleep that you do get isn’t good sleep, you’re groggy, grumpy, and miserable. It’s no fun, for anyone. When most people think about how to get better sleep they think about the type of mattress they sleep on or maybe the type of pillow they use. Maybe they even think about their sleep hygiene. One thing most people don’t consider is diet, even though we know it works in the other direction (poor rest can ruin a good diet strategy). But it’s true – that diet you’re on can have a big impact on your sleep.
Intermittent Fasting and Sleep
Intermittent fasting is less about what you eat and more about when. On this eating plan, there is a set window for eating and the rest of the day if devoted to fasting. For instance, someone might eat during an 8 hour window, say Noon to 8pm, and then fast for 16 hours. The major goal here is to improve insulin sensitivity by keeping insulin levels low during your extended fasting time. How this can help rest depends on your schedule. Some studies have shown that fasting results in fewer sleep disruptions during the night, and it could help strengthen your natural circadian rhythm. Make sure that you’re finishing your eating period at least three hours before bed so that you have time to digest before trying to sleep.
Keto
Keto, or the ketogenic diet, is an ultra-low carb diet that emphasizes high fat and moderate protein consumption to lose weight. While there have been a few studies related to sleep and keto, none are conclusive. Some show participants have improved rest, while others show what is known as “keto insomnia” a state of high energy right before bed. One possible way to make sure keto minimally disrupts your sleep is to save your carbs for later in the day (since they help produce serotonin, you might rest better).
Whole30
Many fans of the Whole30 diet report that following the eating plan helped to improve their rest tremendously, including helping them fall asleep faster. This is anecdotal, however, and the truth is that any diet that cuts significant things (like gluten or dairy or refined carbs) can cause body aches that can make rest more difficult. For most people this will go away after your body adjusts.
Sleepwell Is the Key to A Good Night’s Rest
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