The links between diet and sleep are still too little known and underestimated. However, numerous researches today make it possible to understand the mechanisms and the importance at several levels. Whether it is meal times, certain excesses or deficiencies, diet can indeed have a significant influence, favorable or harmful, on sleep. In the event of insomnia, it is therefore important to take this into account to establish appropriate eating habits, especially since these rules are most often simple to respect. They will play an essential and complementary role to other lifestyle tips to sleep better.
This article was updated on 04/12/2023If we fall asleep at night, it's not just because we're tired. It is also because sleep and several functions of our body are punctuated daily by our internal clock, also called the biological clock. This is how our brain is “programmed” to start producing melatonin, the sleep hormone, as soon as daylight begins to fade. All conditions must still be met: presence of nutrients necessary for the production of melatonin, drop in body temperature, reduction in wakefulness and stress hormones, absence of screens before sleeping, etc.
Current knowledge about the biological clock allow us to better understand the close links that exist between diet and respect for the sleep-wake alternation, with effects on several levels:
Start by taking care of your diet is therefore one of the pillars for sleeping better and stay in good health... especially since with the modern lifestyle, our diet has become depleted of nutrients and our meals respect our biological clock less and less. Added to this are late exposure to screens, the intensification of chronic stress... which are all additional factors favorable to insomnia.
Several drinks such as alcohol or coffee are known to have negative effects on sleep, but certain foods or meals that are too large can also disrupt it by being causing delays in falling asleep and a reduction in deep sleep... This is why, in the event of insomnia, it will be important to limit:
Light, with the alternation of day/night, is the main factor in regulating the biological clock. But nutrition can also play a synchronizing, or on the contrary desynchronizing, role in our biological clock, with repercussions on sleep, without forgetting fatigue, excess weight... Hence the importance of adapting your food, throughout the day, to contribute to the proper functioning of the body by being in phase with its rhythms and needs:
Advances in nutrition research have made it possible to highlight thethe existence of a competition between tyrosine (precursor of dopamine) and tryptophan (precursor of serotonin and melatonin) at the level of their passage in the brain. This is when the composition of the meals will come into play. Indeed, it is depending on the richness of proteins or sugars in the meals that tyrosine or tryptophan will have priority to reach the central nervous system. It is therefore recommended, especially for people who suffer from insomnia, to:
The functioning of the biological clock requires an optimal status of certain micronutrients. A deficiency in one or the other can in fact be the cause of a decline in the quality of sleep. Hence the need to provide them through food, or even in the form of food supplements if necessary. In the event of insomnia, it may even be useful to do a blood test so as not to miss situations of deficiency.
Tryptophan is the amino acid that produces serotonin, itself a natural precursor of melatonin. This is a essential amino acid, because our body does not know how to synthesize it. It must therefore be provided through food. But eating it, even in sufficient quantities, will not always be enough. It still has to reach the brain at the right time of day and the conditions are favorable. Its metabolism is in fact dependent on other factors such as the presence of micronutrients acting as cofactors (iron, vitamins B3, B9, B12). It is also disrupted in cases of chronic stress when the cortisol level is too high.
ANSES estimates that tryptophan requirements amount to 4 mg/kg per day, or around 200 mg which, normally, are easily covered by a “balanced” diet. As explained above, it will also and above all be necessary to ensure that there is a good proportion of carbohydrates in the diet. evening menu to facilitate the passage of tryptophan into the brain... but also ensure that other micronutrient needs are covered and that chronic stress is limited.
From foods richest in tryptophan, we find: legumes including soya, brown rice, cod and fish in general, peanuts, THE pumpkin seeds, most dairy products, poultry, eggs, brewer's yeast, parsley, chocolate, bananas, dried fruits such as almonds...
In case of persistent difficulty falling asleep, a supplement 500 mg per day of tryptophan can however be considered. It will then be important to avoid self-medication and to take into account contraindications such as taking antidepressants, pregnancy and breastfeeding, etc.
Magnesium is involved in many reactions in the body, particularly in regulation of the release and/or storage of serotonin. As the modern diet has become particularly depleted in magnesium, care must be taken to cover the needs in the event of sleep problems, especially since stressful situations also tend to promote its elimination by the body. Knowing that a magnesium deficiency is associated with greater sensitivity to stress, we then enter a vicious circle with the installation of nervous and physical signs (anxiety, hyperemotionality, heart problems, morning fatigue, headaches, poor adaptability stress, cramps, muscle pain, tingling in the extremities, etc.) which themselves can disrupt sleep...
According to ANSES data, daily nutritional references are around 300 mg in adults. Foods richest in magnesium are algae, certain seeds and oilseeds (squash, flax, Brazil nuts, sesame, sunflower, cashew nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, chia, hemp, fenugreek...), the cocoa and chocolate (70% cocoa)... but also green vegetables, legumes, whole grains, molluscs and crustaceans and certain mineral waters.
In case of chronic stress, supplementation will very often be necessary. Recommended doses range from 100 to 400 mg/day with an upper limit of 250 mg for magnesium oxide. There are many dietary supplements with different dosages and bioavailabilities. Seek advice from a healthcare professional.
The mechanisms involved are quite complex, but studies have highlighted a positive relationship between omega 3 levels and serotonin levels. Precursors of anti-inflammatory molecules, omega 3 helps limit inflammation which diverts the use of tryptophan and limits the production of serotonin. As constituents of cell membranes, omega 3 also participates in the quality of communication between neurons.
Modern diet is also responsible for a lack of omega 3 intake which, associated with an excess of omega 6, promotes inflammation. It will therefore be necessary at the same time ensure that sources of omega 6 are limited (example: Sunflower, Peanut oils) while providing more omega 3 (example : hemp oil, flax, nuts, rapeseed, small oily fish, products from the Bleu-Blanc-Cœur sector, etc.).
The objective is to move towards a better omega 3 / omega 6 ratio with beneficial effects on sleep and general health. We will also avoid excessive intakes of saturated or trans fatty acids given their pro-inflammatory effects which can also harm sleep.
Iron deficiency is very often involved in insomnia problems, especially if it is associated with restless legs syndrome. There are also other signs associated with anemia: fatigue, mood disorders, elevated heart rate, etc.
Although a varied diet is supposed to cover nutritional needs, certain foods should be preferred in cases of iron deficiency anemia.
The causes and consequences being multiple, a biological assessment and a medical opinion will be necessary to consider supplementation, essential when the deficit is too significant.
Like magnesium or iron, several vitamins are also necessary for normal functioning of the nervous system. It will be noted that vitamin C and B group vitamins, in particular vitamins B3, B6, B9, B12, iare involved in the production of dopamine, serotonin or melatonin. A balanced diet should cover our nutritional needs in this area, but certain "superfoods" may be useful such as:
Concerning vitamin B12 which is of exclusively animal source, we must be particularly vigilant in meeting the needs of vegetarians or people taking treatment based on antacid medications. Supplementation will even be essential for people following a vegan diet.
To cover the body's needs and be in phase with our biological clock, here is a summary with recommendations for the composition of meals throughout the day. These tips are useful to follow in case of insomnia, but they are also suitable for maintaining good health for everyone.
For start the day with dynamism by promoting the production of Dopamine while avoiding pumps and “cravings” in the morning:
It's a meal that must be as complete and varied as possible by avoiding, as with breakfast, consuming too many sugary products.
If he is taken calmly, he will also be a welcome break to regulate the stress of the day. Ideally, a small relaxation session just before or just after is recommended to limit the accumulation of chronic stress, the effects of which will be felt in the evening when going to bed. Hence the importance of taking at least the time to chew to digest properly.
If you are not vegetarian, this is also the best time to eat meat.
This is the time of day when you need to provide sugar and magnesium to promote the assimilation of tryptophan and prepare the synthesis of the sleep hormone. This is what our brain demands through the “sweet urges” that naturally occur at the end of the day.
You might as well respond to him with foods that are both delicious and of good micronutrient quality such as: fresh or dried fruits, oilseeds (almonds and nuts) and dark chocolate (preferably 70% or more).
To contribute to quality sleep, it is recommended to:
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Publication: Wurtman, RJ, Wurtman, JJ, Regan, MM, McDermott, JM, Tsay, RH & Breu, JJ (2003). Effects of normal meals rich in carbohydrates or proteins on plasma tryptophan and tyrosine ratios. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 77(1), 128-132. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/77.1.128
Publication: Afaghi, A., O'Connor, H. & Chow, C.M. (2007). High-glycemic-index carbohydrate meals shorten sleep onset. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(2), 426-430. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/85.2.426
Work : Guide to nutrition prescriptions. (2014). Health Editions.
Website : INSV National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance. (2021, July 5). Sleep and diet. https://institut-sommeil-vigilance.org/sommeil-et-alimentation/
Website : Chronobiology ⋅ Inserm, Science for health. (n.d.). Inserm. Accessed October 27, 2022, at https://www.inserm.fr/dossier/chronobiologie/
Website : ANSES. (nd). Ciqual. Ciqual Table of nutritional composition of foods. https://ciqual.anses.fr/
Website : ANSES. https://www.anses.fr/fr/content/les-références-nutritionnelles-en-vitamines-et-minéraux
This aromatherapy article was written by Théophane de la Charie, author of the book “Treat yourself with essential oils”, accompanied by a multidisciplinary team made up of pharmacists, biochemists and agronomists.
La Compagnie des Sens and its teams do not encourage self-medication. The information and advice provided comes from a reference bibliographic database (books, scientific publications, etc.). They are given for information purposes, or to suggest avenues for reflection: they should in no case replace a diagnosis, consultation or medical follow-up, and cannot engage the liability of the Compagnie des Sens.