Dietitian-approved nutrition tips for better sleep

Nutritionist Sally Shi-Po Poon has shared how to improve sleep with proper nutrition, Report informs with reference to the Hong Kong version of Tatler magazine.

According to the dietitian, eating right before bedtime can be unhealthy and disrupt your sleep patterns, especially if it’s a heavy meal consists of high-calorie and spicy foods.

Alcohol may help you to fall asleep initially, but it can dehydrate you, impact your sleep negatively and leave you feeling fatigued the next day. You should also cut down on caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee, energy drinks, or colas, especially in the evenings, as caffeine will interfere with the process of falling asleep, keeping you tossing and turning at night.

It’s also not a good idea to go to bed hungry — an empty stomach will cause hunger pangs and making it more difficult to fall asleep. If you feel hungry and crave some snacks before bed, Sally Shi-Po Poon suggests opting for something light and healthy such as fruits, low-fat yogurt, or milk.

The nutritionist noted that tryptophan, an essential amino acid, has a calming effect that will help you fall asleep faster and sleep longer. It’s a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, playing an important role in stabilizing your mood and maintaining healthy sleeping patterns. Tryptophan can be obtained from foods such as milk, turkey, chicken, fish, eggs, pumpkin seeds, beans, peanuts, cheese, and leafy green vegetables.

Selenium is another amazing nutrient that can contribute to a better’s night sleep, which is also essential to metabolism and thyroid hormone production. This nutrient can be naturally obtained from meats, seafood, dairy products, grains, and nuts.

A lesser-known nutrient that can significantly help to promote sleep efficiency is melatonin. Eating melatonin-rich foods can help to orient our circadian rhythm (i.e. the flow of hormones that tell us when to go to sleep and wake up), improve sleep quality and morning alertness. Higher content of melatonin can be obtained from eggs, fish, nuts, and cereals than in meat. Germinated legumes, seeds, and mushrooms are also top sources of melatonin. 

Sally Shi-Po Poon also recommends eating kiwis in the evenings. According to her, studies have shown that eating this fruit an hour before going to bed helps you fall asleep faster, sleep longer and wake up less often at night.