Sleep declining during Lockdown
With research showing that sleep is declining during lockdown, Mattress Online have joined forces with 2 nutritional experts to uncover how to eat your way to a better nights sleep in just 7 days and get the best-food-to-fuel-sleep.
Struggling to sleep?
Your diet could be the problem. From citrus fruit to late-night chocolate, there are foods which can stop you from sleeping.
We asked two nutrition experts to tell us which foods to eat to fuel a great night’s sleep – and which ones we should avoid. Discover the advice from Alex Ruani, Chief Science Educator at The Health Sciences Academy and Anna Mapson, Registered Nutritional Therapist from Goodness Me below.
Chrononutrition: the science of food and sleep
Chrononutrition is a new scientific field which studies the link between the food we eat and our sleep. When researching how nutrition affects sleep, scientists look to improve three things:
- Falling asleep faster, known as shortening ‘sleep onset latency’
- Sleeping more deeply throughout the night, without interruption
- Sleeping longer to reduce sleep debt
There are a few neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) involved in our sleep cycle, such as the sleep hormone, melatonin. Many of these sleep-inducing neurotransmitters come from food, so you can enhance your sleep by eating the right nutrients.
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Top foods to solves your sleep problems
- Wholegrain carbs like rice or pasta for a quicker and deeper sleep
- Fish, Poultry and nuts help to prevent disordered sleep
- Plant foods e.g veg to control your sleep patterns
Top foods to avoid before bed
- Sugar – this can cause disturned sleep
- Citrus fruits – Can cause reflux and stop sleep
- Caffine & chocolate – Causes sleep delays for up to 6 hours
With expert advice, Mattress Online have created a 7 day meal plan to get your sleep back in check, download it here.
