A diet for better sleep

It is a well-known fact that sleep deprivation can cause your weighing scale to tip unfavorably. It disturbs the circadian rhythm of your body triggering a vicious cycle.

The cycle starts with the disruption in the level of appetite regulating hormones in your body. This imbalance blunts your ability of experiencing satiety and makes you needlessly hungry. The cycle progresses with you tiptoeing to the refrigerator scavenging to salvage some leftovers, the more decadent and sugary the better, ultimately culminating in an expanding waistline.

Now, what about the other end of the spectrum? The less ventured into domain of foods that may cause you great sleep or disrupt your great sleep? An increase in inflammatory pathways and biomarkers are found to disturb sleep. What is worse is that disturbance of sleep will cause further inflammation, pushing your body into a vicious cycle that may end up with a dreary prognosis of insomnia.

Growing evidence has shown that a diet rich in pro- inflammatory substances will affect quality of sleep. Quite a few cross-sectional studies have linked an over-consumption of foods high in sugar, fats and industrial processing to a reduced quality of sleep. On the other hand, it was found that a diet rich in anti- inflammatory substances would lead to better sleep.

Any diet rich in complex carbs, fibres, antioxidants and an appropriate ratio of MUFA: PUFA will bless you with better sleep. So if you are looking to solidify your beauty sleep then make sure you never leave any vegetables on your plate. Make a rainbow in your fridge out of colorful fruits and vegetables. They are loaded with antioxidants. In addition, while they are the heroes of your Sleep Better-Diet, it must be mentioned that they are strong gladiators on the battlefield of cancer prevention and managing good physical and mental health. Do not be shy of legumes and lentils. Switch from simple sugars like fruit juices and carbonated beverages to something that will give your body challenge- complex carbs like starchy potatoes, peas and the very trendy quinoa.

Avoid fast food joints like the plague and instead munch on the timeless savory kings of snacks — cashews, peanuts, almonds and pistachios.

Olive oil loves your heart very much, and in the light of better sleep, it is about time to return its generous affection. Use olive oil to shallow-fry your golden eggs in the morning. Alternatively, simply douse a generous teaspoon of this antioxidant and MUFA rich wonder liquid on top of your mid- day salad.

The Mediterranean diet has been applauded and recommended for its many merits on the health front. In addition, now it can boast for imparting blissful sleep as well.

After focusing on the dietary aspects of good sleep, we must end with the cohesive approach towards a healthy lifestyle where diet, exercise and hydration go hand in hand. Adherence to exercise is necessary, for it will beat inflammation and make you look fabulous while you do it.