How to eat for better sleep

For me, as for most people, getting a restful night’s sleep is closely linked to being calm and happy. I have used many strategies over the years, both to get and then to stay asleep, including learning and reciting peaceful poetry, like de la Mare’s soothing description of Old Nod the shepherd.

Low mood and anxiety trigger insomnia, and vice versa, forming a cycle that is difficult to break. Chronic insomnia was the way my two depressive episodes started so it is something I have been frightened of in the past. Now I have learnt ways of coping with it and food is chief among them.

Oats

When I am not sleeping well, I like to start the day with porridge and almond milk or an overnight bircher: it is easy to make and I seem to sleep well on the days that I eat it. Oats have been known for their calming properties for centuries.

Melatonin

Many of the ingredients I use to sleep better contain tryptophan, which is involved in the synthesis of melatonin (the sleep hormone), though how this works exactly is unclear – more research is needed. Our melatonin levels naturally increase as we edge towards bedtime as darkness is a trigger for its production. This is why you should avoid electronic, blue-light-emitting devices around bedtime: they can trick your body into thinking it is still daytime, making you feel more alert and less ready for bed.

Few foods contain melatonin itself (goji berries may do), so those that are rich in tryptophan, such as bananas, potatoes, almonds, seeds and wholegrain oats, are your best bet. B vitamins may help.

Regular meals

I have already established that eating regular meals through the day is essential to maintain blood sugar balance and prevent peaks and troughs. It has also been crucial in my battle to sleep well. As well as ensuring that I don’t go to bed hungry and then wake in the night, regular meals provide a steady supply of helpful B vitamins and tryptophan.

If you eat dinner too early you may wake up in the early hours because you are hungry or your blood sugar is low. Conversely, eat too late and it is a strain on your digestion, so I generally strike the balance by sitting down to it no later than 7:30pm. This means I don’t generally need to snack on anything again before bed, though sometimes I like a mouthful or two of calming cottage cheese at 10:30pm before I go to sleep.

Eat a balanced dinner of protein, carbohydrate and fat

Protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates so it keeps us feeling full. Fats do too – they are the slowest to digest of all the food types. So if you are like me and sometimes wake hungry in the night, it's a good idea to include some protein and fat in your evening meal.

The ideal is a balanced dinner which includes meat or fish, as well as carbohydrate, which may help the transport into the brain of tryptophan which in turn is synthesised into sleep-promoting melatonin.

Herbal teas

Herbs have been used for centuries to help relax the body and induce sleep. Though their effects are subtler than a sleeping tablets, I have found they still have quite an impact. Use the whole plant where possible, as its leaves, flowers and roots are thought to provide different benefits that complement each other, making them more valuable in combination. Good-quality products generally include these different elements, so it is worth investing in specialist brands for teas, tinctures and infusions.

The most common herb used as a sleep remedy is valerian. It is not only a muscle relaxant, but also may relieve anxiety and tension due to compounds it contains called valepotriates. I find it makes me sleep much better. Valerian is safe for most people when used short-term, but we do not know whether long- term use could be harmful (pregnant women and children should avoid valerian, and indeed all herbs). To make a tea, use two teaspoons of the dried herb per cup, or a good-quality teabag in a teapot that will keep the vapours in.

Although there have been no clinical trials confirming its sedative properties, camomile has been used traditionally for medicinal purposes and may have a calming effect. Camomile may act on a neurotransmitter or chemical messenger in the brain called GABA which encourages us to feel calm and relaxed. A relaxed body naturally equals a relaxed mind.

Lemon balm is a member of the mint family and it is thought to improve mood and reduce anxiety and restlessness. In one study undertaken in 2006 on children with minor sleep disturbances, those who took a combination of valerian and lemon balm reported sleeping better when compared to a placebo group.

Lemon balm grows easily in the garden or on a windowsill in our temperate climate. Clip some leaves off and pop them in a cup of boiling water. Enjoy the smell, drink it as a cup of tea, or add it to a bath to benefit from its volatile oils. It is useful, too, for any offspring who are restless and up in the night.

Lavender has been shown to reduce tension and anxiety. I am, as you might have guessed, a nervous traveller and find a small lavender pillow helpful on bumpy journeys. I also drink it as a tea. Simply add dried flowers to a pot of boiling water, or add drops of the essential oil to a bath. Inhaling the lavender scent calmed me down after giving birth, so it is my favourite present to give to a new mother.

Passionflower is often found in herbal sleep remedies but can also be drunk as a tea. Like camomile, it is thought to act on brain neurotransmitters and have mild sedative properties.

I recommend it if you are struggling with pain, anxiety or worry. Luckily enough, it comes without the resultant ‘hangover’ or woozy feeling often experienced the day after taking sleeping tablets.

Bedtime routine

Finally, for many years now I have had quite a strict bedtime routine, almost as if I were treating myself like a small child. I don’t stay up too late, aiming to get to bed by 11pm at the latest. Having a regular bedtime has helped with my insomnia as well as my mood more generally. Having an oat bath, too, is nicely soporific. Take a ‘teabag’ (3 tablespoons of oats in a muslin cloth, or in the foot of a pair of old tights) and add it to a hot bath. An Epsom bath – or drop of essential oil – like lavender or camomile – can make all the difference too.

A proper supper, a cup of herbal tea – be it passionflower and sage or camomile – and a small snack if need be help keep my blood sugar balanced overnight, meaning I tend not to wake up at ridiculous hours.

Experiment with some of these suggestions at home, and let me know what works for you. Sweet dreams.

Excerpt from The Happy Kitchen: Good Mood Food book by Rachel Kelly and Nutritionist Alice Mackintosh.

I hope you found this blog post helpful in some way and I’m always keen to hear your thoughts - let me know over on Twitter @RachelKellyNet