Good sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing. While many factors influence sleep, our nutrition plays a decisive role. In this blog entry, we cast a light on how certain foods and eating habits can lead to better sleep.
How does food influence sleep?
The quality of our diet has a direct influence on our sleep. Certain nutrients can stimulate the production of hormones such as serotonin and melatonin, which are crucial for the regulation of our sleep cycle.
When and how often should one have meals?
It is recommended to have one’s last meal three to four hours before going to bed. This gives the body time to digest the food and ensures that you do not go to bed with a full stomach, which can disturb sleep. Three balanced meals a day are ideal, whereby light snacks in between are allowed.
Foods that promote healthy sleep
Cherries: a natural source of melatonin.
Nuts: especially walnuts and almonds contain melatonin, as well as essential minerals such as magnesium and zinc.
Oily fish: herring, salmon, tuna fish or mackerel – these types of fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, which together stimulate the production of serotonin.
Dairy products: a source of calcium and vitamin D. This not only helps us to reduce stress and regulate nerve function but the nutrients from dairy products are needed for the formation and stability of bones.
Wholegrain products: complex carbohydrates promote the absorption of tryptophan in the brain, which is in turn converted into serotonin.
Foods that should be avoided
Caffeinated drinks: the regular consumption of coffee can lead to delaying the day-night rhythm – the circadian rhythm. Caffeine can disturb sleep and therefore coffee, tea and Cola drinks should be avoided as from the afternoon.
Alcohol: although alcohol makes you sleep initially, it disturbs the REM phase (the last phase of the sleep cycle) and leads to restless sleep.
Foods that are difficult to digest: fatty or very spicy foods can cause heartburn or indigestion, which compromise sleep.
Sugary foods: these can lead to blood sugar fluctuations that disturb the sleep cycle.
One should do the body some good so that the soul feels like inhabiting it
To summarise:
The right foods can contribute significantly to better sleep. A balanced diet that is rich in certain nutrients and restricts consumption of interfering foods can help with overcoming disturbed sleep. But bear in mind that a healthy diet is only a part of an overall strategy for improving sleep. Regular exercise and good sleep hygiene should not be neglected.
Eat and sleep well at the Eschenhof
While the right diet is a key element when it comes to restorative sleep, the environment in which we relax and regenerate also plays a decisive role. At the Eschenhof wellness hotel, particular importance is accorded to healthy food that is perfectly attuned to the needs of guests with disturbed sleep.
We offer a range of meatless and light dishes that are specially targeted towards improving your sleep and promoting your general wellbeing. Our kitchen creates balanced and nutritional Slow Food menus daily, using fresh, high-quality ingredients that are beneficial for your body and at the same time support healthy sleep.
Furthermore, the possibility to have dinner from 6pm is a conscious decision aimed at giving our guests enough time to relax after the meal before retiring.
Apart from these special culinary features, the health hotel Eschenhof also offers a special experience in the form of weekly talks by the fireplace with Dr. Ortner, our in-house general practitioner. He is there to advise our guests and answer individual questions all about healthy sleep and burn-out prevention. These discussions provide a unique opportunity to immerse oneself deeper in the topics of sleep and health and to receive personal tips from an experienced medic.