Sleep
The various types of challenges that plague recovery
For many of us, sleeping can be challenging, and no matter what we do, we simply can’t get enough sleep. Issues can stem from stress, depression, aches, and so on; the greater challenge is that we have to do whatever it takes to find a solution and achieve the recovery process which is 7-9 hours for every 24 hours. There are, however, natural aids that you may not have known about; aids that can help us with the recovery process or sleeping. Many of these nutrients described below do NOT require a prescription and if you are currently considering or are on medication, try experimenting with these suggestions; please also check with your physician to ensure that you may not have a negative reaction. I have learned about these from many of my colleagues that I met at the gym. As a college student weight training at a local gym, I surrounded unwittingly with other body builders that had a lot more experience than me; one of the challenges that was discussed often was coping with the insomnia and finding solutions with how to combat that barrier to sleep. That’s when I overheard and participated with discussion about natural sleep aids and what NOT to consume prior sleeping. So below I share with you the nutrients that I have experimented with based on those recommendations from my fellow gym-rat partners.
Natural Sleep Consumables
Tart Cherry Juice increases your body’s ability to produce melatonin naturally; melatonin is the hormone that helps you fall asleep; Tart Cherry Juice also contains nutrients that can promote better sleep quality, helps reduce inflammation caused by Gout and other forms of arthritis; it’s also rich in antioxidants.
Lavender Tea is made by brewing the buds of the lavender flower in water, resulting in a purple drink; the beverage is soothing especially when taken around bedtime; I believe it’s quite powerful and effective as it also promotes relaxation and increases sleep quality.
Almonds: My colleagues used to brag about how Almonds are a great source of the element magnesium can help improve insomnia and reduce inflammation; magnesium also aids with transitioning from an adrenaline level to a recovery cycle.
Chamomile Tea is an herb that is made from dried flower and hot water containing antioxidants; it powerful benefits includes relaxing and assisting you into falling asleep.
Kiwi is rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants that is one of the best fruits to help you sleep; I tried this food on a number of occasions and it’s quite potent. I tried consuming kiwi about an hour before bed, which maid me sleepy prior the hour. However, every individual will have varied results. So, as with all things, please be aware that what works for one may not work for another.
Turkey is on of my favorite meats; it contains something called tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps the body to produce serotonin and melatonin and is abundant in lean white meats. The serotonin-melatonin combination may be particularly helpful to older adults experiencing issues with their sleep/wake cycles. I actually feel the effects.
Rice: Believe it or not, rice is actually a nutrient that helps you fall asleep; I love rice, but for decades I could not understand why on several occasions I would feel drowsy after consuming it; I used to think it was due to the heavy training session I finished not too long ago, and I would fall asleep almost immediately. Well it turns out that white rice releases soothing hormones, for example melatonin that results in sleepiness or relaxation. However, folks, beware; carbohydrates such as rice are examples of nutrients we need to avoid prior sleeping because it converts too fat. Learn more about carbohydrates and its effects in the consumption model.
Honey is rich in sugar and sugar is energy, and for many years I avoided Honey in the evenings, especially since sugar aids in storing fat; so it’s a double-edged sord or which is the lesser of two evils. Honey contains an important hormone that helps you relax and fall asleep; the hormone Tryptophan is not produced by the human body naturally so ingesting honey before bedtime apparently pays big dividends.
Green Tea is one of the most potent of all natural sleeping nutrients that I’ve ever experienced! It has qualities that are highly potent, and soothes your senses deeply; I love its effects. So, perhaps its powers may work on you, especially if you suffer from the lack of sleep, have difficulty relaxing, or even our have anxiety concerns. The feeling is caused by an element called L-Theanine, which is a protein that contains powerful anti-anxiety and stressing diminishing effects when consumed resulting in better snoozing.
Diary products: Not surprisingly, dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream and even Whey products; I consume a great deal of most of these diary products, and many of you may agree, but I actually feel quite relaxed or even sleepy after a few minutes of consuming these delicacies. The powerful agent responsible for the sleepiness is tryptophan, which is an amino acid or protein that helps create melatonin which helps manage the sleep and wake rhythm.
Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel, Halibut, and Trout contain Omega 3 fatty acid which aid in better sleep patterns; I have had these variations of fish and recall feeling relaxed, and again, the setting has been in the later afternoon. I pointed out what could be a narrow list of many options of fish that aid in sleeping including assisting with the production of Melatonin.
Whole Grains likes brown rice, barley, oats, and quinoa, are natural sources of melatonin; whole grains also raise the chances of insulin production which in turn increases blood sugar and make you feel sleepy. I consume a great deal of these grains especially brown rice. I also feel it’s effect.
Leafy Greens: Biology in both high school and college was one of my favorite subjects, but I never thought keor Spinach, Cabbage, Romaine Lettuce, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Endive, and Beet and Collard Greens as possible sleeping agents, but they are! They actually behave like sedatives as mentioned by one of my training partners in the early 90’s who suffered from insomnia. Leafy Greens trigger sensations of relaxation and sleepiness. So definitely consider these plants when you’re struggling with snoozing, especially since they are NOT a heavy source of meals that easily convert to to fat if at all; they contain very little calories.
Bananas (and for that matter PLANTAINS): I consume bananas, but I eat a great deal of plantains; in fact being from the Dominican Republic, plantains are a staple. However, I never thought that this nutrient plays an important role in regulating our sleep cycle. Plantains and Bananas contain the vitamin B6, which create melatonin so you can fall asleep faster.
Sleep Benefits
Sleep is a time to relax, but it's also a time during which the body is hard at work repairing damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays, and other harmful exposure. Your cells produce more protein while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair the damage.
Helps reduce stress
Reduces Inflammation
Makes You More Alert
Improves Your Memory-Information Retention
Aids in weight loss
Repair/Replace cells and muscle tissues- the body repairs itself as we snooze:
FOODS TO AVOID IF YOU WISH TO SLEEP:
In creating the recovery model, we also wanted to ensure that we specified nutrients that are absolutely unhelpful as we attempt to sleep should we consume them. Below is a small list, but are some of the most popular delicacies:
Caffeine should be one of the most obvious culprits that will keep most of us up as it can impede with our efforts to relax and ultimately fall asleep; it prevents your mind or adenosine receptors from falling asleep; I would eliminate any possibilities of consuming caffeine during the afternoon as it may complicate your chances of a good night sleep, especially if you’re having a touch time gaining any quality sleep.
Alcohol actually makes me fall asleep fast, but it can disrupt my normal snoozing patterns, therefore throwing off my sleep cycles.
Acidic foods such as tomatoes and citrus (oranges) can lead to acid reflux and heartburn, which interrupts sleep; I consume a tone of pizza with extra tomato sauce, and I definitily feel those effects.
Spicy products can also lead to acid reflux and heartburn, which can impact falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night.
Fried foods, heavy meals, and indulgent delicacies take longer to digest and could interfere with sleep by causing discomfort, let alone lead to fat storage.
High-sodium foods such as soy sauce, pizza, processed meats, canned, and frozen meals can lead to higher blood pressure, especially when your body is trying to wind down during the later part of the day. These nutrients could make you thirsty enough to wake up in the middle of the night, and as you drink away liquid to quinch your thirst and return to sleep, you may find yourself getting up again to urinate. So, it’s best to consume these high-sodium meals during the late afternoon or early evenings as opposed to later at night passed 6pm.