subject: The Importance of Diet for Relieving Sleep Disorders [print this page] The Importance of Diet for Relieving Sleep Disorders
What you eat plays a significant part in how you feel, how much energy you have, how well you function and how well you sleep.
People suffering from sleep disorders ranging from minor interruption to insomnia can benefit from changing their diet.
Having a well balanced is a good place to start and there are many foods that promote sleep that can be included into your diet as well.
Many of the foods that we eat contain hormones that can help with sleep disorders. Tryptophan is an important hormone that assists with sleep and is found naturally in many foods. Serotonin levels also affect the way you sleep; serotonin is a hormone that controls mood. Certain foods like carbohydrates stimulate an elevation in the serotonin in the brain promoting better sleep.
The food you eat at night close to the time you are preparing to sleep has the most significant impact on your ability to get a good night's rest.
It is well known that high sugar foods, caffeine and spicy foods can cause sleep disturbance and sleep disorders and anything that is high in additives and preservatives should also be avoided. High fat and high protein foods should not be consumed as a part of your nigh time meal.
The best types of food to include in your diet to help with sleep disorder include;
Whole grains and carbohydrates e.g. brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread and bagels.
Leafy Greens, lettuce, fresh vegetables
Foods high in chlorophyll
Spirulina
Nuts, seeds and organic foods
Fish, turkey and chicken
Lemon juice
Hot milk and honey
For many people suffering from a sleep disorder a change in diet can make all the difference. Monitoring what you eat and how you sleep can help you to identify if diet is the cause of your sleep disorder.
There is more information about Sleep Disorders and Insomnia available on the Sleep and Insomnia Guide
