Tag: insomnia

Post lockdown insomnia? Here is how you can relax and sleep well – Italian Cuisine

In this difficult period, many suffer from insomnia. Concern for the future, stress, messy schedules, irregular meals … Here are some remedies

Do you struggle to fall asleep in the evening or do you sleep poorly and badly during the night? Insomnia due to the COVID-19 emergency is a very common disorder. In this period 42% of Italians have anxiety problems and 24% suffer from sleep disturbances. This was revealed by a recent investigation by the Piepoli Institute for the National Council of the Order of Psychologists. The worries and fears of the period together with social isolation worsened the quality and duration of the rest for several reasons. When experiencing particularly stressful situations, the body produces high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which promote wakefulness. Being indoors at home has also prompted many to engage in behaviors that negatively affect their ability to fall asleep. The lower exposure to sunlight, source of vitamin D, and the use of electronic devices, such as smartphones, until late at night, for example, promote insomnia because they inhibit the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. To improve night sleep, it can be useful to adopt a tailored sleeping routine and pay attention to daily nutrition. The exciting substances of some foods can make sleep particularly agitated. Here are 5 strategies to adopt at the table to relax and go back to sleep well, suggested by Annamaria Acquaviva, dietician and nutritionist for the California Prune Board.

Eat regular meals

To promote rest, try to maintain a regular routine even at the table. How? Always eat at the same time and follow a varied and balanced diet. The correct intake of all essential nutrients promotes the proper functioning of the body. The nutrients present in foods in fact affect the circadian rhythm, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle.

Don't miss the tryptophan

Tryptophan is a precursor of serotonin, thegood mood hormone, which is converted into melatonin, fundamental in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Legumes, meat, fish, dairy products and oil seeds are a good source. For example, to relax in the evening and facilitate rest, drink a cup of warm milk before going to bed. Thanks to the presence of casomorphins, natural opiates, it reconciles sleep.

For dinner, bet on carbohydrates

The complex carbohydrates of whole grains and their derivatives consumed without exaggerating facilitate rest. They promote the production of serotonin, which induces relaxation and promotes the synthesis of melatonin, which regulates the sleep-wake rhythm.

Yes also to the fibers

For dinner go-ahead for vegetables such as lettuce, red radicchio that promote rest. Cabbage, artichokes, spicy spices, on the other hand, can be difficult for sensitive subjects to digest. Fruit is also a good source of fiber. California plums in particular have a high content of potassium, vitamin B6, copper and manganese, precious for the proper functioning of the nervous system.

Avoid overdoing it with online appetizers

Spirits induce poor quality sleep. Even meats and cheeses are by no means allies of rest. In addition to providing an important share of calories and saturated fats, they contain high amounts of sodium, which stimulates thirst and disturbs rest.

In the gallery you will find 10 foods to bring to the table to sleep well

Insomnia tips: foods to avoid – Italian Cuisine

From habits that promote sleep to foods that relax and help you sleep better. Here are the solutions to fight insomnia and return to rest well

Sleeping better is the desire of many. The numbers say it. Almost half of Italians occasionally suffer from insomnia and have difficulty sleeping at night. Wrong lifestyles are often the cause of the problem. From the incorrect diet to bad habits that can delay falling asleep and encourage early awakenings in the morning. «Sleep is a protective factor against various pathologies, as well as regenerating for body and mind. Excessive consumption of exciting substances such as theine and caffeine, for example, contained in coffee, tea, fizzy drinks, can hinder it by preventing or disturbing the correct rest ", explains the nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. But what to do to stay away from the problem? On the occasion of the World Sleep Day (World Spleep Day), which is celebrated on March 13 this year, here is the sleeping routine to follow to sleep better.

In the morning, always wake up at the same time and stay in the sun

A good habit to regularize rest, especially if you are having difficulty falling asleep is to always wake up at the same time in the morning. It helps to give regularity to the internal clock of our body. To regularize the sleep-wake rhythm, it can be useful to take long walks in the open air. "Exposure to sunlight favors the production of serotonin, a precursor of melatonin, a hormone that induces and maintains sleep. It then stimulates the production of vitamin D, which is in turn involved in the production of melatonin, "explains the nutritionist.

For lunch and dinner, choose foods rich in tryptophan

To avoid compromising your ability to fall asleep during the day, give space in the daily menus to foods that promote relaxation. "Whole grains and legumes for example are a source of tryptophan, a precursor of the serotonin hormone that lowers cortisol levels, the stress hormone that on the contrary promotes agitation," says the expert. «Yes, then to essential fatty acids. They are involved in the production of hormones that regulate the sleep-wake rhythm. For example, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil and fish are excellent sources, especially blue ones such as sardines, mackerel, herring and salmon. "

Exercise in the afternoon

Playing sports especially in the open air stimulates the synthesis of endorphins and serotonin. The ideal is to practice it in the morning or early afternoon rather than in the evening. "The circulating adrenaline produced through training could hinder sleep and encourage wakefulness," explains the expert.

Before going to bed just relax

The evening is the time of day when the battle against insomnia is fought more than others. «For dinner, bet on a plate made with whole grains. Brown rice, for example, is a source of tryptophan and B vitamins, which promote relaxation. The ideal is to combine it with seasonal vegetables that contain potassium and magnesium. These minerals present in abundance in spinach, lettuce promote relaxation. Before going to bed to facilitate rest, yes also to a herbal tea or an infusion based on hawthorn or mallow. It helps to relax body and mind ", explains nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. Finally, a couple of hours before going to bed avoid using your smartphone and in general all electronic devices. The blue and white light favors the waking state.

In the gallery you will find 5 foods to avoid in the evening to sleep better

Fight insomnia with food – Italian Cuisine

Sleeping is fundamental to our health. But it is not always easy. There are foods that help us to let ourselves go in the arms of Morpheus. Like honey, fantastic for fighting insomnia, almost unbearable when combined with warm milk. And then other foods much less obvious: who would have said that chicken is among the foods that promote sleep – unlike red meat?

Before moving on to the list of pro-sleep and anti-sleep food and drinks, a couple of pieces of information: due to the stress and of the increasingly busy days, in the last 50 years there has been one reduction average of sleep daily about 1.5-2 hours and today they are at least 9 million Italians who have developed achronic insomnia. A disorder in its own right, as it is now 15 years old, has established the World Health Organization.

The difficulty in getting to sleep or going back to sleep after i night awakenings it afflicts more and more people: tiredness, concentration and memory deficits, mood disorders, depression are the result. Not only that: scientific studies have proven that those who sleep little get fat: food comforts and satisfies, especially if it is high in fats and sugars. This is why lack of sleep intensifies night visits to the fridge and, unfortunately, the choice always falls on the wrong snacks. Not only that: a recent small study has shown how to rest well at night induces a healthier diet during the day: a real cìvirtuoso, or vicious circle, therefore, depending on how our nights go.

What to do? Definitely adopt one diet that makes us dream! First of all we need to restore the biological clock. Dinner time can affect sleep: the good rule is have dinner four hours before going to sleep (and do not go to sleep late: get fat!) The sleep-friendly diet includes one Breakfast regular, at the same time every morning, rich in fibers that help to improve the quality of sleep; for dinner, a mix of carbohydrates, proteins and smaller portions of food to not weigh down the stomach and interfere with digestion. The secret lies in going to bed neither too hungry nor too full.

Foods that promote sleep

Hot dishes and maybe even liquid, like soups and velvety.

Carbohydrates complexes like those of wholemeal rice and pasta, spelled: stimulate insulin which in turn favors the availability of tryptophan, an essential amino acid that raises the levels of serotonin and melatonin, the hormone that induces drowsiness. There bran contained in the Whole grains it is also the richest food of magnesium, whose deficiency manifests itself with sleep disorders.

Fruit in season, and in particular apricots (even dried), apples, bananas, kiwis (eat a couple before going to bed, they are a sleep-safe!) and olives, sources of serotonin and melatonin, the two hormones that promote sleep, B vitamins (which promote hormone synthesis), magnesium.

Nuts, and in particular the walnuts, which raise the level of melatonin and le almonds, for magnesium. Try them also in the form of butter – such as peanuts: it is a fat that promotes insulin (do not abuse!). On bread (complex carbohydrate) is a perfect combination. There dried fruit – dates in particular – it is also an excellent source of magnesium.

Drinks that help you sleep

Warm milk: is an excellent sedative, contains calcium, magnesium and melatonin, a hormone that helps to stabilize the physiological rhythms of sleep-wake, and tryptophan, amino acid that releases relaxing serotonin, reduces nervousness and promotes rest.

Chamomile: increases the level of glycine – amino acid that induces relaxation – in the body.

Valerian and passionflower: already known from ancient Rome, they can reduce the time taken to fall asleep and improve the quality of sleep; increase the level of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical that keeps nervousness at bay and calms anxiety.

water: better to drink a lot during the day to stay well hydrated throughout the night, thus avoiding waking up for thirst or going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The European Food Safety Authority recommends drinking about 1.6 liters of liquids for women and 2 liters for men. In total there are 8-10 glasses of 200 ml distributed during the day.

Food and drinks that steal sleep

Alcohol: just sip a glass after dinner does not hurt, but if it becomes a habit and consumption increases it can lead to insomnia. Of course, after an evening of heavy drinking it can be easier to fall asleep or better, fainting on the bed, but you have to be very careful because the alcohol upsets the patterns and cycles of sleep. During the night we usually have six or seven cycles REM (Rapid Eye Movement), the most satisfying form of sleep, during which our brain processes the information we have stored during the day. But if you exaggerate with alcohol, REM cycles can be reduced to one or two, insufficient to make us feel good the next day. In addition, alcohol transforms those who do not usually snore into professional inflators.

Coffee: due to the high content of caffeine it interferes with our deep sleep. The quality of sleep can also be disturbed by the coffee you drink during the day because the caffeine lasts for many hours. Not everyone has the same level of tolerance to caffeine, but surely those who suffer from insomnia must avoid the classic cup of coffee after dinner. Recent studies show that drinking an espresso three hours before bedtime delays the production of melatonin for at least 40 minutes.

Chocolate: not everyone knows this, but even the food of the gods is a source of caffeine. Do not overdo the quantities just before going to sleep, better just give yourself a square of dark chocolate shortly after dinner.

Spicy foods: the bad news is that spicy food gives digestive problems and raises body temperature during the first cycle of sleep, disturbing it. It is shown by numerous research that with the decrease of body temperature we fall asleep better. The chilli then is a stimulant of the nerve endings and can cause an unwanted adrenaline effect.

sugar: a recent study suggests that a diet rich in sugar disturbs sleep, precisely because of their energy power not really ideal for good sleep. In fact, the participants in the research, after taking very sugary foods and drinks, had continuous awakenings during the night. So it is better to avoid after-dinner desserts which slow down the digestive process by interfering with sleep.

Red meat: a difficult renunciation for the most impenitent carnivores, but because of the tyrosine contained in it, amino acid that increases the production of adrenaline, it is highly inadvisable.

Overly processed and salty foods: usually they are also very seasoned and are definitely too heavy to digest. Better to choose a light meal, dishes seasoned only with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. And you should not exaggerate with salt to avoid the risk of waking up several times during the night in the presence of an unbearable thirst.

article of Monica Pilotto
March 17, 2016
updated by Stella Rita
January 2019

Flickr photo Aurora983

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