This week for Food Savvy Friday we’re going to discuss how nutrition can play a role in our sleep quality and duration! We all know that proper sleep is directly linked to our health and well-being. However, did you know that the types of food we eat can affect how we rest?
Sleep disturbances and short sleep duration are behavioral risk factors for inflammation associated with increased risk of illness and disease. Further, sleep has been shown to have a restorative effect on the immune and endocrine systems, facilitate the recovery of the nervous system and play an integral role in learning, memory and synaptic plasticity.
So what can you do?
- Cut down on caffeine and high carb and protein meals close to bedtime to increase sleep duration and the amount of time spent in the REM sleep cycle.
- Increase fiber intake to allow your body more time in the deep, slow-wave cycle.
- Cut down on sugar intake, which is associated with a greater number of arousals during sleep. (An arousal is an interruption of sleep that lasts 3-15 seconds.)
Many people returning to campus are willing to sacrifice sleep for social or academic activities. This post is simply here to remind you that every once in a while, allow yourself a nice full night of sleep! Shoot for 8 hours and be mindful of how the body and mind feel upon waking up well-rested.