It seems like everyone is struggling with sleep right now. Between the typical stresses of life, midlife hormone BS, and this weird world we find ourselves in, sleep deprivation has become our common ground. Getting that deep, restorative sleep that makes us feel our best is possible, here are some tips.
Eat Your Way to a Goodnight’s Sleep
Food soothes my emotions, so eating my way to better sleep is something I can get onboard with. Fueling our bodies nourishes our health, and either slows us down or energizes us. The National Sleep Foundation provides some insight into which foods and beverages can affect the body in ways that help you get the sleep you need. If you’ve ever felt compelled to take a cat nap after a turkey dinner, you may have already have some familiarity with this idea.
Tryptophan is an amino acid that can cause us to feel sleepy. You’ll find it in foods like tofu, flax seeds, cashews, and you guessed it, turkey. The key is finding a tryptophan-rich food that can help with sleep but doesn’t also come packed with carbohydrates that can make you feel drowsy, then set you up for an insulin crash which may cause sugar cravings.
Fun Fact: Pumpkin Seeds contain 206% of your daily recommended allowance of tryptophan.
When we sleep we are essentially fasting. While fasting has some health benefits, for some of us it can cause a bit of a drop in our insulin levels which may result in interrupted sleep. One way to combat this is with a healthy snack prior to bedtime. Try to find foods that combine protein with healthy fats and avoid foods that contain lots of sugar – even natural sugars in fruits. Some good choices are almonds, eggs, avocado and a low carbohydrate protein drink.
Tip: Try an avocado protein shake!
- 1/2 ripe avocado
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 scoop egg or pea protein powder – try a flavored one like, vanilla
- 3 tbsp Siggi’s full milk fat vanilla yogurt
- 2 tsp Stevia – adjust for desired sweetness
- 1 and 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2-3/4 cup ice
Blend well and enjoy!
Beware the Wine
This feels like blasphemy, but the science doesn’t lie (dammit). While a nightcap may be a relaxing habit, it could also be stealing our sleep. Alcohol is a depressant, so it can help us feel more inclined to rest. Sounds perfect so far! But as the night progresses it can prevent us from reaching REM sleep, where we get our more restful and restorative sleep. Instead of that late night glass of wine or cocktail, steep an herbal tea.
Try Some M & M
Before you get too excited, we aren’t talking about the candies. Melatonin and Magnesium (citrate) are both excellent supplements to aid in your journey toward your best sleep.
Our Favorite Sleep Supplements
The content provided in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, medical concerns, and supplements.
