Eat Right, Sleep Tight

Is your diet ruining your sleep?

A recent survey commissioned by MyFitnessPal found 4 in 5 – yes, a whopping 80% – of Aussies are struggling to fall asleep, and just under half – 49% – are struggling to get enough sleep. While this can be due to many factors, one of the most overlooked ones is diet – something that can leave you sleeping soundly, or completely sleepless. The survey also found that only 4 in 10 recognise the connection between diet and quality of sleep, indicating a promising progress from years before – but still a far way to go. As the Women’s Fitness resident sleep coach, and now, yours too, I’m so happy to lend my expertise here. Because at the end of the day, you are going to eat regardless – and if you have the facts and figures you need, you can make healthier decisions each meal, leading to healthier sleep each night. By Olivia Arezzolo

1. Become Aware Of Sleep Saboteurs

I’m sure you’ve noticed a trend – eat a late dinner, you sleep a little lighter than usual, then struggle to get up in the morning. It’s not your imagination – digestion is a hugely taxing process upon the body, requiring 10% of our entire energy needs – not exactly a ‘relaxing bedtime ritual’. Similarly, while an espresso martini on a Friday night sounds like a good idea, it’s not so great when you lay awake restless, tossing and turning. Golden rules for caffeine and alcohol are as follows: cut caffeine after 12, and if you can, opt for matcha – it contains l-theanine, a calming ingredient that slows the release of caffeine and gives you a longer, more sustained buzz – and less of a caffeine crash. When it comes to alcohol, even one drink – yes, one, singular – drink can impair sleep quality, suppress REM sleep and increase the likelihood of nighttime wakings, so, plain and simple, it’s best avoided. If you ‘must’ drink, do it mindfully, thoughtfully, and well away from bedtime.

2. Become Aware Of Sleep Supporters

Now that I’ve shared the doom and gloom, we can get to the good part – what you should eat to improve your sleep, and elevate your sleep game to the next level. First, load up on protein rich, omega 3 rich options – fatty fish like salmon, tuna and eggs are absolute weapons here. This provides your body tryptophan, the amino acid to build melatonin, and anti-anxiety benefits from healthy fats. Enhance your sleep even more with magnesium rich options like chia seeds and sunflower seeds, supporting overall calmness and relaxation. In the evening, seek out a kiwifruit… or even two! This can improve sleep quality by 42% – yes, really!

3. Track Your Food, Track Your Sleep

After reading the above, you may be thinking ‘how can I remember that every day?!?’; and don’t worry, I don’t expect you to! Make it easy to know, with 100% certainty, what you are consuming by tracking your food. Naturally, to see the impact this has upon your sleep, it’s most helpful to do this when you track your sleep too – and do so in the same place – so you can see the direct effect, and make better decisions. MyFitnessPal’s new “Ssleep’ integration means you can use the app to track both food and sleep in the one place, making this process super simple; as does their ‘Eat Right Sleep Tight’ plan – available free to all users, which gives you a day-by-day plan to improve your sleep by improving your diet. And, the act of monitoring your food makes you more aware of exactly what you’re eating – which can often lead to healthier decisions in the first place.

Sleep saboteurs	Sleep supporters
Caffeine after 12pm – especially from coffee. Opt for matcha, which has a prolonged energy release to minimise the caffeine crash	Protein, omega rich options like fatty fish and eggs – providing the nutrients you need to produce melatonin, our sleep promoting hormone
Alcohol – even one drink can impair sleep by 9%, so it’s best avoided! Enjoy alcohol free and low alcohol options, and if you must drink, do it easy – well before bedtime!	Magnesium rich snacks like chia seeds (or chia puddings), pumpkin seeds, almonds and cashews
Eating late – anything within 3 hours is a no-no! If you’re famished, have a nutrient rich protein smoothie with a banana, which should see you through without taxing your digestion too heavily	Tracking your food alongside your sleep – giving you evidence and insights into what foods help you get the deep, rich, rejuvenating sleep… and consume more of them!

Download the free MyFitnessPal app, including the food tracker, sleep tracker and “Eat Right, Sleep Tight’ plan from the app store today – so you can start sleeping better tonight!

By Olivia Arezzolo
Images: Supplied

For the full article grab the February/March 2024 issue of Women’s Fitness Australia from newsagents and convenience locations. Subscribe here.