Sleep: Are you getting enough?

Are you getting enough sleep? For most of us, unless we’re really prioritising our sleep, the answer is probably no. I passionately believe that sleep is one of the core pillars of health, making such a huge difference to our health and wellbeing. It affects our mood, weight, digestion, hormonal balance and so much more. But in our increasingly busy lives, it may seem hard to achieve a healthy relationship with sleep but there are lots of simple hacks to improve it.

 I often get asked questions about sleep. Here are a few of them with my answers and top tips for optimising your shut eye!

Will lack of sleep make me put on weight?

Several studies have shown an association with sleep duration, weight gain and obesity. Research reported that short sleepers eat 385 calories more per day than those that sleep the ‘adequate amount’ (7-9 hours per night).[1] So why is this? This may be due to increased wakening time, or the impact on ‘hunger hormones’ like leptin, ghrelin and cortisol. It seems that tired people also crave more energy-dense, highly palatable foods, especially when easily accessible.

Top tip: If you are sleeping badly, try and stay away from the temptation of unhealthy snacks. Clear out your snack cupboard/drawer! If it’s not there, you can’t eat it! Also, when you are in the supermarket, just avoid the aisles containing the unhealthy treats! Again, if you can’t see it, you can’t buy it!

What about stress?

Stress causes a 'fight or flight' response, resulting in the secretion of stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones promote alertness and awakening - great if you're fighting off a predator, but not so great if you're trying to wind down for the night. These stress chemicals result in increasing the time it takes to get to sleep, as well as contributing to fragmented sleep, and a decrease in slow wave sleep and REM sleep.[2]

Top tip:  Wind down before bed with some deep breathing or meditation, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system (‘rest and digest’).

Does diet make a difference?

It certainly does! But what are the things to watch out for?

As you may have guessed, caffeine can play a part in our sleep patterns, as it increases alertness and cortisol levels. Depending on how sensitive you are to caffeine (genetic testing can tell you), you may wish to switch to decaf after midday. Remember that green tea contains caffeine too.

Although alcohol is often used to unwind, this has also been leads to poor sleep quality.[3]

A diet high in refined sugars may also negatively affect your sleep – instead, a low GL (Glycaemic Load) diet with planned healthy snacks may be more supportive of sleep. If you want to know more about low GL – foods with less sugar and so don’t spike blood glucose levels so much – get in touch! I’m a huge fan of low GL foods.

Make sure you are eating enough! You don’t want blood sugar levels to drop too low overnight. There is nothing worse than waking in the middle of the night hungry.

Timing is also important. Eat your last meal of the day as early as possible and avoid late night meals and snacks.[4]

Top tip:  Eat three good meals and two healthy snacks every day to keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day and night to limit fragmented sleep.  Avoid caffeine in the afternoons. Eat your last meal of the day as early as possible, avoiding snacking afterwards.

What about exercise?

Exercise is supportive of sleep as well as our overall mental and physical health. It helps us with falling asleep and sleep quality, as it increases slow wave sleep. The timing of exercise is also important. Doing intense exercise too late in the day may cause a release of endorphins that may actually keep you awake, so limit your evening workouts to something gentle like yoga or Pilates. Getting outside and exposing ourselves to natural light first thing in the morning to exercise may also help set our Circadian Rhythm, which is also great for sleep quality.

 So in summary…

If you’re struggling with sleep, don’t despair! There are simple and easy steps you can take to help with sleep, both dietary and lifestyle. These are my favourite tips for a better night’s sleep: 

• Turn off screens at least two hours before bedtime, or use blue light blocking glasses;

• Get into a calming night time routine – wind down with relaxing activities before bed (Epsom salt baths, reading, meditating, journaling or drawing);

• Movement helps (but not excessive exercise too close to bedtime!);

• Keep your bedroom cool!;

• Try to be consistent with your bed and wake up times;

• Limit stimulants like caffeine and alcohol before bed;

• Avoid eating too close to bedtime.

If you have any other questions about sleep, feel free to get in touch, or book in for your free discovery call to see how I can help you.

If you have any underlying health conditions, please talk to your doctor or health professional before changing your diet or exercise.

References

1.    Al Khatib HK, Harding SV, Darzi J, Pot GK. The effects of partial sleep deprivation on energy balance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. European journal of clinical nutrition. 2017 May;71(5):614-24.

2.    Martire VL, Caruso D, Palagini L, Zoccoli G, Bastianini S. Stress & sleep: A relationship lasting a lifetime. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 2020 Oct 1;117:65-77.

3.    Thakkar MM, Sharma R, Sahota P. Alcohol disrupts sleep homeostasis. Alcohol. 2015 Jun 1;49(4):299-310.

4.    Wilkinson MJ, Manoogian EN, Zadourian A, Lo H, Fakhouri S, Shoghi A, Wang X, Fleischer JG, Navlakha S, Panda S, Taub PR. Ten-hour time-restricted eating reduces weight, blood pressure, and atherogenic lipids in patients with metabolic syndrome. Cell metabolism. 2020 Jan 7;31(1):92-104.