More tips for better sleep
Some weeks ago I wrote about the importance of sleep in relation to the health of our immune system. I expressed a hope that being “forced” to spend more time at home, we would as much as possible try to take better care of our wellbeing, starting from our sleep.
As time went on, more and more reports have come out from different countries about the way the lockdowns actually caused a general worsening of sleep. And mind, nearly 1/3 of the general population was already affected by insomnia [1]!
In a US survey [2] of 1015 respondents about sleep habits post-quarantine, 53% said they spend less time sleeping than before the pandemic and 67% thought that their sleep was healthier before the beginning of the lockdown. The effects extend even after the lockdown, as 98% seem to have developed new sleep problems!
In a survey [3, 4] of 2254 people in the UK, it was found that more than half of the population has struggled with sleep during the lockdown. 40% reported having slept fewer hours per night, while 30% having slept longer but feeling less rested. 40% experienced more vivid dreams than usual. Only 25% slept longer and felt more rested. And younger people are more likely to have experienced changes in their sleep.
The fact that younger people have been among the most affected is confirmed in an Italian survey of about 9000 students [5]. About 80% of them said to have changed their sleep and wake-up times during the lockdown, about 50% declared to have suffered from frequent awakenings during the night and 46% to have had problems falling asleep!
What about you? How have you been sleeping in the past months? Have you also been affected by the lockdown/quarantine?
As someone who has experienced the pains of chronic insomnia and the damages it causes to our physical and mental wellbeing, I thought it would be important to get back to the important topic of sleep as we move forward in these confusing and uncertain times.
In my previous post, I shared 11 basic tips for better sleep. Today I’ll go back to some and add more, focusing on tips to specifically support the production (and intake) of melatonin, our sleep hormone and much more.
What is melatonin?
Melatonin is a hormone and neurotransmitter released from the pineal gland, a tiny gland in the centre of our brain. The pineal gland, as our eyes, contains photoreceptors and is activated by light. It is highly involved in our circadian rhythms and it produces melatonin in response to darkness and mostly in the first hours of sleep.
Melatonin is synthesised from its precursor tryptophan, an essential aminoacid that we obtain from food (our bodies cannot synthesise it!). In the steps that lead to the synthesis of melatonin, several other nutrients are needed, such as magnesium, zinc and B-vitamins (particularly folates and B6).
What are the roles of melatonin?
Melatonin is not only our sleep hormone: it has many more health-promoting effects and properties [1]:
It is a powerful antioxidant and some of its metabolites are also potent anti-oxidants;
It has anti-inflammatory activities;
It enhances immune activities - melatonin and its metabolized were found to improve the proliferation, increase the activity and inhibit programmed cell-death (apoptosis) of white cells (among which Natural-Killer cells);
It has anti-cancer activities – melatonin has been proved to be involved in the causation, delevelopment, metabolism, metastasis and therapy of different tumors;
It has more disease-fighting properties – in cardiovascular protection, anti-diabetes and anti-obesity effects, protection of the central nervous system, and more!
What can we do to support the production of melatonin?
Can we get it from food?
And does the melatonin that we get from food have health impacts too?
YES, YES and YES!
In the past decades, it has been found that melatonin is not only present in the pineal gland of animals, but also in animal foods and edible plants. It was also documented that the consumption of melatonin from foods increases the concentration of melatonin in blood thus exerting health benefits [1].
So, what to do?
Here are some tips!
1. Mind your lifestyle!
Sleep in a completely dark room.
Tap into your natural circadian rhythms and go to bed when you feel the first wave of tiredness. Learn at what time that happens so that you’re ready to go to bed at that time! More about establishing a sleep routine in my previous post.
Avoid exposure to blue light, such as light from electronic devices, in the hours before going to sleep. Ideally, avoid using these devices for a couple of hours before going to bed. If it is not possible, there are apps and programs that can help. F.lux is a free software you can use on your computer to regulate the temperature and intensity of light. Apps are also available for smartphones. Do your research!
If you live at a higher latitude, with very long days during the summer, make sure you have light-blocking curtains and consider purchasing blue- and green- light blocking glasses to use in the evening, before going to bed.
Expose yourself to natural light during the day.
2. Bring in melatonin-rich foods for dinner!
Fish and eggs are the richest in melatonin among animal foods [1].
Legumes and seeds – note that the germination of both legumes and seeds increases the melatonin content significantly[1]!
Some cereals such as rice, in particular pigmented rice (i.e. nonglutinous black rice) [1].
Vegetables such as purslane [7], tomatoes and peppers (though technically fruits!) [1].
Mushrooms [1].
Fruits such as cherries, particularly tart cherries (and tart cherry juice) [1, 6], and strawberries [1].
3. Make sure you consume tryptophan and co-factor rich foods!
Poultry such as chicken and turkey and other types of meat, such as pork, beef etc (tryptophan, B6).
Organ meats, such as chicken/beef/lamb… liver (best sources of folates).
Fish such as sardines, anchovies, octopus, squid etc (tryptophan, B6).
Legumes (folates, magnesium).
Eggs (tryptophan, B6).
Dark leafy vegetables such as spinach (folates, magnesium, zinc).
Cruciferous vegetables such as Brussel sprouts, Broccoli, Romanesco cauliflower (Folates, B6, magnesium).
Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts and seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin seeds (magnesium, zinc, B6).
Cereals such as rice- i.e. black, brown, red- (magnesium, zinc, B6).
4. Don’t forget about the “melatonin enemies”
In order to support your natural levels of melatonin, also consider avoiding lifestyle habits, foods, supplements and drinks that inhibit its production. Furthermore, keep in mind that some pharmaceuticals might have an effect too. Here some examples:
Never said enough, exposure to blue light in the late hours of the day!
Large doses of vitamin B12 and most of the B vitamins (esp B12) at bedtime.
Caffeine.
Alcohol.
NSAIDs, i.e. ibuprofen [8,9].
Steroid drugs [9].
Now I’d love hearing from you! Do you have more tips or strategies you know of to boost your melatonin levels? Let me know in the comments below!
Do you need individual support with your diet and lifestyle?
Book your free 20-minute phone consultation here!
References
[1] Meng X, Li Y, Li S, et al. Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin. Nutrients. 2017;9(4):367.
[6] Howatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, et al. Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Eur J Nutr. 2012;51(8):909-916.
[7] Paredes SD, Korkmaz A, Manchester LC, et al. Phytomelatonin: a review. J Exp Bot. 2009;60(1):57-69.
[8] Murphy PJ, Myers BL, Badia P. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alter body temperature and suppress melatonin in humans. Physiol Behav. 1996;59(1):133-139.
[9] https://www.stlukes-stl.com/health-content/medicine/33/000712.htm
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