If you want to sleep well, include these foods in dinner: Understand the connection between food and sleep from a nutritionist, avoid these 7 foods at night

There is an old saying 'breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar'. This means that the day should be started with a rich diet. After that, one should eat less in the afternoon and very less in the evening.

This proverb explains the way to live a healthy life in few words. But very few of us follow this routine. What we eat and when we eat it have different effects on our digestive system, weight and sleep.

According to an AIIMS study published in 'Science Direct', 10.4 crore youth in India suffer from sleep apnea, a serious sleep-related disorder.

According to the Global Sleep Survey 'Philips Global Sleep' 2019, 62% of adults worldwide do not get the sleep they want. Heavy dinner is also a big reason for this.

So today'In 'Healthy Water' We will talk about the connection between food and sleep. You will also know that-

Deep connection between food and sleep Food and sleep, both are interconnected. Food gives energy to the body, while sleep gives rest to the body. When and what we eat also affects our sleep.

According to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, a high-fiber, low-saturated-fat diet leads to deeper and more restful sleep. If heavy food is taken at night, the body needs more energy to digest it. which can affect sleep.

Avoid certain foods at dinner Eating fatty foods at dinner takes longer to digest. Due to this, fat accumulates in the body, which can lead to obesity. Deep fried food can cause acid reflux problem in the body. This can cause heartburn and restlessness, which can interfere with sleep.

Whereas, eating sweets at dinner raises the blood sugar level, due to which the food takes longer to digest. Similarly, spicy, processed food, caffeine or alcohol can also disturb sleep. Understand what should not be eaten in dinner from the graphic below-

Change dinner for better sleep Dinner should be light and balanced, so that it can be easily digested. This leads to better sleep. For this, eat foods rich in fiber, which improves digestion. Eat green vegetables, which are rich in minerals and vitamins and are also essential for health. Apart from this, from the graphic given below, understand what items can be included in the dinner-

Now, let's talk about these things given in the graphic in detail.

Foods rich in fiber help with sleep Including fiber-rich foods like porridge, oats, and whole grains in dinner keeps blood sugar levels under control and helps you sleep better. This also keeps the digestive system healthy.

Drinking warm milk leads to better sleep Several compounds present in milk, especially tryptophan and melatonin, help promote better sleep. Melatonin is called the sleep hormone. Apart from this, the peptides present in milk reduce stress and make the body stress-free, leading to better sleep.

Eating green vegetables in dinner helps in better sleep Green vegetables contain magnesium, an essential mineral for the body. It calms the mind and relaxes the muscles. Magnesium also increases the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin. It gives good sleep. Some fruits like bananas, cherries and kiwi are also helpful in sleep.

Some common sleep related questions and their answers

Question- Should there be a fixed meal time?

Answer- Senior Dietician Dr. Poonam Tiwari says that the right time to have dinner is before 8 pm. Eating right before bed can cause insomnia.

Question- How much gap should there be between dinner and sleep?

Answer: There should be at least three hours gap between dinner and sleep. For example, if you go to bed at 11, have dinner at 8.

Q- Does the gap between eating and sleeping have any effect on sleep?

Answer- Keeping a long gap between eating and sleeping helps in digestion of food and improves the quality of sleep.

Question- Is it good to have protein diet 6-7 hours before sleep?

Answer- Yes of course! Protein food can be taken 6-7 hours before sleep. The body has enough time to digest it.

Question- What happens if you sleep immediately after eating?

Answer: Sleeping immediately after eating does not allow the food to be digested properly. It can cause problems like gas, indigestion, heart burn and bloating. Apart from this, sleep is affected. Sleeping right after eating does not burn calories. It can also lead to weight gain.