What we eat and how we sleep are aligned. Certain foods contribute to bad sleep. Research carried out by Professor Marie-Pierre St-Onge, director of Columbia University’s Centre of Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research, confirms that people who eat more saturated fats (found in processed snacks and fast food) have less deep sleep, while for those who consume more sugar and refined carbohydrates (such as white bread and white pasta), it’s more disrupted.
In Eat Better, Sleep Better (Simon Element), co-written with Saveur magazine editor Kat Craddock, St-Onge details her findings and encourages us to eat foods that promote better rest. Lamb, tofu and lentils, for instance, contain tryptophan, an essential amino acid that kick-starts our production of melatonin and serotonin, which are vital for sleep. Tryptophan requires magnesium, zinc and vitamin B6 to be synthesised, so eating foods rich in these nutrients, such as chia seeds, walnuts and oysters, is also recommended.
Even a healthy snack has a negative impact on sleep
Federica Amati, Zoe head nutritionist
The book provides lists of snooze-supporting ingredients including “powerhouse” foods that deliver several beneficial compounds. Brown rice, for instance, contains tryptophan, melatonin, vitamin B6, magnesium and zinc, as well as fibre and complex carbohydrates that optimise our tryptophan uptake. Other superfoods include bananas, walnuts and barley. “People can add these to their favourite recipes,” suggests St-Onge, “using barley instead of rice in risotto or adding kale [which contains folate and B6] to soup.”
