Jul
Why do I wake up tired?
Maybe you’ve experienced waking up in the morning feeling tired all day. We try to solve this problem by consuming coffee, but caffeine can actually make this issue worse! This tiredness can easily be alleviated through nutrition. Sleep and nutrition are our basic needs, and their connection is more profound than we might think!
You’ve probably heard that our body has a natural clock that adjusts based on our habits, influencing our digestive system and body functions directly. Light and darkness affect this natural clock. At night, we feel more need for sleep, while during the day we are more awake and active. Melatonin is secreted more in our bodies at night. Melatonin is the hormone that induces sleepiness and helps regulate our body clock.
But how does nutrition affect our body’s system? Research shows that irregular eating can disrupt our body’s clock, affecting the quality of our sleep. Eating meals closer to our bedtime reduces sleep quality, and we often wake up intermittently which can be frustrating! Eating at specific and consistent times can solve this problem.
Apart from meal timing, the type of food also matters. There are three main food groups for us: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The best way is to measure these in the plate. The best way is to have half of our plate vegetables and fruits, a Quarter cereals and starches, and the other Quarter proteins. This way, meals become balanced, and the level of energy intake increases.
Proteins are made up of amino acids, and one of these amino acids is tryptophan. The body produces melatonin with tryptophan. Plant sources of tryptophan are soybeans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, beans, green vegetables, and mushrooms.
Carbohydrates are the body’s energy source and help tryptophan reach the brain more easily. Quinoa, barley, and fruits and vegetables high in fiber are digested slowly and provide energy for longer periods, resulting in better sleep quality.
When we are away from home and it may take a long time until the next meal, it is better to use these sources. On the other hand, white rice, rolled oats, and fruits and vegetables containing starch are digested more quickly. These types of foods deliver tryptophan to the brain faster and bring us closer to bedtime. When you want to postpone sleep, you can use a banana, a glass of warm milk, or nut butter.
Consumption of saturated fats reduces sleep quality. Such as palm oil, coconut oil, and animal fats. On the other hand, omega-3 can increase sleep quality by helping reduce inflammation. Omega-3 is found in walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, chia seeds, flax seeds, and sunflower seeds and is found alone or in combination with smoothies.
Vitamins and minerals also play an important role in improving the quality of our sleep. Vitamin B12 and B6 play a vital role in the production of melatonin. Lack of minerals such as iron, magnesium, selenium, and zinc can cause insomnia and sleeplessness.
There are also five other important nutritional factors that can help us improve sleep quality and reduce daily fatigue:
- Eating breakfast.
- Limiting caffeine intake.
- Keeping the body hydrated.
- Reducing alcohol consumption.
- Reducing salt intake.
