Category Archives: Benefits of Sleep

Sleepy Time Nutrients

sleepBio-rhythms are critical to our routines from sleeping, awaking, working, and hunger. All are energy related, therefore it stands to reason that both nutrient and quality caloric intake may contribute to ones ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Consider your dietary intake before taking sleep medication; by making a few nutritional and routine changes you may find that you are able to take control of your night’s rest.

Relax, let go of your day.  32% of the population actually meet the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) of magnesium. Without it the body is unable regulate sleep, its deficiency leads to asthma, depression, diabetes, insomnia, and osteoporosis. It can reduce the severity of symptoms related to: fibromyalgia, migraines, heart attack, premenstrual syndrome, stroke. “Magnesium is required for the active transport of ions like potassium and calcium across cell membranes. Through its role in ion transport systems, magnesium affects the conduction of nerve impulses, muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm”, stated by the Micronutrient Information Center at Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.

By including a variety of foods it easy to obtain the necessary amounts of magnesium needed for one to fall asleep.
Consume: dark leafy greens (spinach 1 cup raw 24 mg vs. 1 cup cooked 157 mg), pumpkin or sesame seeds (1 oz 150 mg), brazil nuts (1 oz/28 g 125 mg), almonds (1 oz/28g 93 mg), avocado (1 chopped 58mg), beans/lentils (1 cup cooked 148 mg), Mackerel fish (3 oz/85g 82mg).

Zinc Inhibits Magnesium. While it stands to reason that certain medications can interfere with proper magnesium absorption (discuss with Doctor), a study conducted on men, and another study on adolescent boys showed that the mineral zinc decreases the body’s absorption of magnesium. However increased amounts of protein (3 ozs/90g) promote magnesium absorption.

The body needs zinc for cell/energy metabolism, growth, development, cell signaling systems, immune system, neurological development, reproduction. Found in all body tissues zinc is important for enzyme and hormone function, vision, taste, smell, and in wound-healing.

Since both nutrients are critical to the life cycle, newer DRI standards suggest that amounts of magnesium should be increased to the following: Men DRI 420 mg/day and Women 320 mg/day. (old DRI: M 300 mg and W 270 mg)

Depletion of zinc & magnesium can come from consuming high amounts of coffee and tea.

Stay Asleep with potassium.  Potassium is an electrolyte that promotes fluid balance within the body, ridding excess sodium, aiding in cellular growth, and muscle contractions. It is found in most fruits and vegetables containing Vitamin C making it readily available and can be included at almost every meal.
Eat: grapefruit, berries, oranges, bananas, kiwi, avocado, melon papaya, corn, and potato.
Men and Women (DRI) 4,700 mg/day.

Wake up Rested.  Include foods with Vitamin B6 and the protein Tryptophan. Vitamin B6 helps create serotonin from the protein Tryptophan. Serotonin is neurotransmitter that is linked with happiness.  In simplified terms, a Neurotransmitter (serotonin for example), is like the super-autostrada of information in your brain that allows different parts to talk to each other. Tryptophan is converted to serotonin while one sleeps.
At dinner time find health and comfort by including variety of foods: eggs, oats, bananas, poultry, meat, whole grain pasta, fennel or sunflower seeds, figs, fish, peanuts, milk, cottage cheese, and 1 ounce chocolate.
Men and Women Vitamin B6 DRI 400 mcg/day
Men and Women Tryptophan DRI 67 mg

Exercise is equally important to de-stress the body, provide oxygen to the muscles, excite, create neurons, and promote relaxation. 30-60 minutes a day, 4-5 times a week will keep your body and brain energized and strengthened.

Foods that should be avoided are: fried, fatty in taste, salty, sugary, artificial sweeteners, and caffeine 6 hours before bedtime.

A sample menu has been put together to present an idea of what your dietary intake should look like in order to stabilize your bio-rythym and have a more restful night.

By: Kimberly Crocker-Scardicchio

Suggested Menu to Promote a Rested Body
Breakfast
Yogurt
Wheat Toast
Fruit of choice: orange, banana, kiwi, melon
Tea

Snack
1 ounce pumpkin seeds
Banana
Water

Lunch
Bean or Lentil soup
Sandwich: Turkey, Avocado, lettuce, cheese
Fruit
Peanuts
Water or tea

Snack
Apple
Celery
Water

Dinner
Poultry, Meat, or Fish 4 ounces
Pasta, rice, or potato
Dark leafy green salad
Cottage Cheese
Fruit of choice
1 ounce Brazil Nuts
Glass of Wine, Water or Milk

References:

Sleep and Lose Weight?

Yes… it is possible to lose or gain weight while you sleep!  This based on daily calorie intake, exercise and what are you eating at dinner and before you go to bed.

Eating a bowl of popcorn, potato chips and drinking a coke one hour before you go to bed will help you gain a few calories while you sleep, as opposed to eating an orange or a banana.

Sleep in of itself allows the growth hormone to adequately work on tissue and cellular repair, resulting in burned calories for the individual.  For example, a woman that is 5’5″ (163 cm), that sleeps 7 hours, will burn approximately 489 calories.  A man with the height of 5′ 10″ (1,75 cm), that sleeps for 7 hours, burns approximately 540 calories.

Additional weightloss can be promoted while we’re sleeping by slightly raising  our metabolism a few ours before bedtime.  Complete your exercise regiment 3-4 hours before bedtime, so that you are not so stimulated that you are unable to rest, yet you’ve promoted your metabolism to function at a higher rate.  Additionally, have dinner  4 hours before going to bed so that your dinner stays in your duodenum, the first part of the small intestine for 4 hours (before moving onto  the second part of the small intestine). If you digest food closer to your bedtime it will result in a restless sleep pattern for you.

To encourage weightloss, dinner should include 4oz  (114g) of protein: Fish, Poultry, Pork, or Lean Beef. Accompanied by 3 servings of vegetables and a fruit.  (1 serving of bread or pasta optional).  A serving of fruit or vegetables is the equivalent of a 1/2 cup, salads are 1 cup for a serving. 

Dinner (example)      

Begin with a glass of water 10-15 minutes before eating your meal. Promotes hydration and slows down eating, contributes to satiety (feeling full at end of meal).                                    

4 oz salmon

salad with 1/2 cup tomatoes (vinaigrette dressing 1-2 tbsp)

bowl of lentil soup (Optional: add 1 cup cooked pasta.)

1 medium orange

1 oz or 28 g of walnuts

Glass of wine

Nutrition facts: 1-Protein, 2-Omega 3 (alimentary fat, great for the HEART!!), 5-Fiber, 1-bread optional

(If opting for pasta (60 g), mix in 1/2 to 1 cup steamed or sauteed vegetable.  May pass with crushed nuts or Parmesan Cheese.)

Wine has also been linked to weightloss, because of it’s active polyphenols/antioxidants that work hard to get rid of toxins in the body.  Red wine is a great source of Vitamin C and E.  A few of their benefits contribute to the health of our skin and eyes.

By Kimberly Crocker

Sleep for longevity, diet, beauty, health, memory

  After recently reading an interesting article on “The Benefits of Sleep”,  I reflected on the time that I lived in Italy.  Certain facts about various diets and their cultures should be embraced and put into practice .  Although diet is an important factor when it comes to longevity,  it also seems that other variables, such as sleep need to be considered as well. Is it possible that these populations within Italy, Costa Rica, Japan and Greece, which have been linked to longevity, diet, beauty, health and memory could know something about the benefits of sleep? 

Sleep is something valued and apart of their daily routines and according to the study an attribute to longevity.  The work day in Latin cultures begin between 8-9 am.  Lunch is at 1-2 pm followed by a “siesta”, with their workday being recommenced at 4-4:30pm.  They return home for a walk at 8-8:30 pm and a small dinner at 9-9:30 pm.  Of course, certain industrialized cities may require you to skip your siesta and to work  from  9 am -7 pm.  The purpose of sleep and reduced stress is valued nonetheless.

Sleep is also linked to proper nutritional intake.  For example, the two hormones affected by sleep deprivation are related to eating: gherlin, which tells you to eat and leptin, which tells you when you are full!  Lack of sleep will confuse the hormones and you will overeat, because of the decrease in leptin function.  Additionally, cortisol levels increase and your metabolism slows down.

Dr. Michael Breus PhD and author of “Beauty Sleep”, discusses the fact of sleep deprivation halting the nutrients level of activity in the skin, therefore, you wake up pale and washed out.  While sleeping, the growth hormone is performing tissue and cellular repair, allowing for a decreased amount of wrinkles and and attribution to looking refreshed.

Other studies have shown an 21% increase in mortality rates of women who did not get 7-8 hours of sleep.  Research reveals that decreased sleep is linked to high blood pressure, diabetes and depression.

Scientists have suggested that sleep allows for your brain to “sort out short-term memories into other areas so that it’s ready to take in more the next day. It maybe the way the brain rebuilds  and strengthens it’s circuits says neuro-scientist Marcos Frank PhD.

So what do you think about sleep and how does it positively or negatively effect your life and daily routines?

By Kimberly Crocker

Interested in entertaining Spanish discussions please click here