Those who sleep 5 hours or less per night have a 15 % higher risk of becoming obese, and 30% have a chance of gaining 30 pounds over a period of 16 years or less. Interestingly, there are direct correlations linked between diet and sleep. Improving your dietary habits not only improves the quality of your nights but that of your days as well.
How An Improper Diet Can Mess With Your Sleep
Studies have shown that the more saturated fat and less fiber you eat will cause you to experience lighter, less restful sleep. Additionally, the more sugar and processed foods you eat throughout the day the more likely you’ll wake up several times through the night. Your body goes into overdrive when trying to break down complex sugars and processed foods, using twice as much water than you normally would during digestion. This not only causes dehydration but also your urine to be more concentrated with toxins which your body’s trying to flush out. This can contribute to all sorts of health issues from kidney stones to even kidney disease. When your more urine is more concentrated it irritates the bladder and wakes you in the night. This can offset your body’s ability to release the proper amount of the hormone vasopressin which induces deep sleep.
The Benefits Of A Sleep-Positive Diet
Getting a good night’s sleep has endless health benefits. The most important of which are a healthier heart and circulatory system, reduced inflammation, a higher rate of cellular repair and even weight loss. But diet plays an important role in these health benefits, such as eating foods abundant in calcium and magnesium, making sure you are getting enough vitamin B6 by eating more fish and vegetables, avoiding processed foods, sugars, and taking your alcohol and caffeine in moderation. Making sure you are getting all of the necessary amino acids your body needs is as crucial as not indulging in foods that deplete these vitamins and minerals from your body.
With so many people worldwide suffering from insomnia an increasing number of sleep studies are conducted every day. No longer is sleep considered something for brain health alone but rather for whole body health. Considering that the brain regulates our hormones, getting a good night’s sleep is no longer considered mutually exclusive from eating right and staying fit. They evidently go hand in hand.
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