May 8, 2024 – Want to sleep better and longer? Discard the meat. At least that’s what some experts say.
vegetarian and vegetarian According to a recent study, they slept about 30 minutes more per night than average, and up to 90% reported good or excellent sleep quality poll Published by The Sleep Foundation.
“Can’t sleep well This leads to poor food choices,” says Abhinav Singh, MD, medical director of the Indiana Sleep Center and medical advisor to the Sleep Foundation. “That’s why they are called Comfortable Food – Because no one is going to eat a salad because they are tired and sleep deprived.
When it comes to salads, people follow vegan diet Be your best. ancient or “caveman diet” — centered around meat, fish, fruits and vegetables — ranked second, followed by kosher and a Standard vegan diet, respectively. All of these groups had better sleep quality than those who did not follow a specific diet.
But linking a specific diet to better sleep can be a “slippery slope,” says registered dietitian and food company owner Cara Harbstreet. street smart nutrition. For one, self-reported eating habits are often inaccurate. Survey respondents also had the option of choosing more than one diet.
“There are also different explanations for dietary patterns, such as ‘ketone’ What means something to one person may mean something else to another person,” said Dr. Debbie Fetter, teaching assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of California, Davis. “Vegetarianism also comes in many forms. This may mean that respondents can categorize their eating patterns differently, thus affecting the results.
Rather than focusing on a specific diet, aim for seven to nine hours of sleep a night, Fetter said, noting that more than a quarter of U.S. adults don’t achieve this goal. She also recommends starting to incorporate more plants into your diet. Up to 90% of American adults do not consume the recommended 2 cups of fruits and 2.5 cups of vegetables per day.
“Lack of sleep can negatively impact cognitive function, may lead to impaired decision-making and impact health. For example, if someone does not get enough sleep, they may choose more energy-dense comfort foods instead of nutrient-dense foods, or they may You may feel too tired to engage in physical activity,” Feit said.
Certain nighttime snacks can also aid sleep.
“Sour cherries, yogurt, fatty fish, etc. salmonand kiwi (all included in the survey question in some way) are foods that we know that eating regularly can support better sleep,” Harbstreet said.
The survey found that people who eat yogurt have the best sleep quality (61%). Those who enjoy eating fruits and berries are close behind (58%). Those who ate cookies, cakes and brownies were surprisingly in third place (53%). But according to the book’s author Singer, only occasionally indulged in the latter. sleep to heal.
“You should eat less processed and sugary foods, especially before bed. [because] Eating processed food at 10 p.m. raises your blood sugar, which activates your kidneys,” he said. “Then your sleep quality is poor because [of] Micro-awakenings during the night, or even trips to the bathroom, can contribute to some insomnia habits.
A word of caution: Labeling certain foods as promoting sleep can be tricky, especially when we don’t have key information about the people who choose them.
“For example, according to this survey, people who eat grains report the worst sleep quality, but we don’t know what these people’s lifestyles, sleep conditions, eating or physical activity habits, socioeconomic status, stress levels, etc. will all have on their It’s probably not the grains that have an impact on sleep,” Feit said.
Insomnia is The most common sleep disorders among survey respondents. If you have trouble falling asleep, here are a few things you can try: Avoid eating spicy food before bed as it can cause heartburn. Have a planned bedtime and wake-up time, and stop drinking caffeine 6 to 8 hours before bed. Feit says developing a relaxing ritual, such as reading, journaling, or coloring in an adult coloring book, can also promote good sleep hygiene. You can also try “Sleepy Girl Mocktail,” a non-alcoholic concoction of soda, tart cherry juice and magnesium supplements, is a viral trend.
“How effective it is is still up for debate,” Habstreit said, noting that some people swear by it, others find no difference, and still others report that carbonation or sugar content seems to have an effect. Negative effects on sleep.
For more information on better sleep, see WebMD Tips for better sleep.