\u00a0In one study, researchers tracked diet and sleep for a group of people and found that indeed, food choices during the day did affect sleep.<\/p>\n
The researchers discovered that eating more saturated fat and less fiber from foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains led to reductions in slow-wave sleep, which is the deep, restorative kind.<\/p>\n
In general, clinical trials have also found<\/a> that carbohydrates have a significant impact on sleep:<\/p>\n People tend to fall asleep much faster at night when they consume a high-carbohydrate diet compared to when they consume a high-fat or high-protein diet.<\/p>\n That may have something to do with carbs helping tryptophan cross into the brain more easily.<\/p>\n But the quality of carbs matters.<\/p>\n In fact, they can be a double-edged sword when it comes to slumber. Dr. St-Onge has found in her research<\/a> that when people eat more sugar and simple carbs \u2014 such as white bread, bagels, pastries and pasta \u2014 they wake up more frequently throughout the night.<\/p>\n In other words, eating carbs may help you fall asleep faster, but it is best to consume \u201ccomplex\u201d carbs that contain fiber, which may help you obtain more deep, restorative sleep.<\/p>\n \u201cComplex carbohydrates provide a more stable blood sugar level,\u201d said Dr. St-Onge. \u201cSo if blood sugar levels are more stable at night, that could be the reason complex carbohydrates are associated with better sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n One example of a dietary pattern that may be optimal for better sleep is the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes such foods as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, seafood, poultry, yogurt, herbs and spices and olive oil.<\/p>\n Large observational studies<\/a> have found that people who follow this type of dietary pattern are less likely to suffer from insomnia and short sleep, though more research is needed to confirm the correlation.<\/p>\n\t\n \n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.healthysuppliesshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/10185-uhjusa.jpg?fit=400%2C400&ssl=1\")
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