Diet and Sleep Quality: An Ancestral Approach to Better Rest

Tossing and turning at 2 AM, mind racing, counting sheep that have gone on strike? Welcome to the club of poor sleep quality – the unwanted houseguest of our modern world.

Both the rest we get and how we refuel are what I think are the 2 pillars to regain and maintain your health. I believe it’s also true that as you improve one, it will automatically help the other… how?

If you’re tired, the old willpower loses its potency and it’s easier to decide to grab something to eat that’s not so good. This is where the lure of Maccy D’s has us over a barrel, especially after a long full-on day at work.

Likewise, if you fuel yourself with food and drink that’s not optimal – as is so easily done in today’s world – naturally, your sleep will not be at its best.

So it’s easy to see how we can end up in a spiral with no apparent easy option of breaking out when thinking about diet and sleep quality.

The benefits of sleep for health are many and shouldn’t be underestimated. So, improving your diet may be one of the many levers you can pull to improve your sleep and health.

Let’s unravel the dance between what’s on your fork and what happens when your head hits the pillow to achieve a good night’s sleep…

TL;DR

• Diet and sleep quality are closely intertwined. An ancestral approach to eating may lead to better sleep patterns and fewer insomnia symptoms.
• Modern processed foods can disrupt sleep, while a diet rich in whole foods supports healthy sleep physiology and may improve sleep duration.
• Beyond diet, factors like exercise, light exposure, and stress management play crucial roles in achieving restful sleep and overall sleep health.
• Implementing an ancestral-inspired diet and lifestyle can lead to improved sleep quality and potentially address sleep disorders more effectively than quick fixes.

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The Intricate Connection Between Diet and Sleep

Our bodies are complex machines, and just like your car needs the right fuel to run smoothly, your body needs the right nutrients to maintain healthy sleep patterns. But what constitutes “right” might not be what you think.

While many sleep experts focus on specific foods to eat or avoid for better sleep, I believe we need to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. Our modern diets, packed with processed foods, refined sugars, and artificial additives, are a far cry from what our ancestors ate.

And guess what? Our ancestors didn’t have to deal with many of the sleep disorders that plague us today.

Now, I’m not suggesting we all start foraging for berries and hunting wild game (though that might make for an interesting weekend). But there’s something to be said for getting back to basics when it comes to our food choices.

Think about it – our bodies evolved over thousands of years to process certain types of foods. Then, in the blink of an evolutionary eye, we switched to a diet that would make our cave-dwelling ancestors scratch their heads in confusion. Is it any wonder that our sleep quality might be suffering as a result?

Others will suggest that the key to good sleep lies in consuming certain sleep-promoting foods like tart cherry juice or kiwi fruit before bed. While these can certainly may play a role in improving sleep quality, I believe the foundation of healthy sleep lies in a more comprehensive approach to nutrition.

By adopting a diet that Mother Nature intended (to figure this out, picture yourself in a tribe as a hunter-gatherer; what food would’ve been available?) we might just find ourselves drifting off to dreamland more easily and enjoying more restful sleep throughout the night.

It’s also important to note that diet and sleep are closely linked to mental health. Improving these aspects of life can lead to better mental health outcomes, including reduced risks of conditions like depression and anxiety.

But before we dive into the nitty-gritty of what a healthy diet looks like and how it can affect sleep, let’s take a closer look at how your food choices can impact your sleep patterns. After all, knowledge is power – especially when it comes to conquering those frustrating bouts of sleep deprivation.

So, are you ready to explore how what’s on your plate might be influencing your date with your pillow? Let’s dig in!

How Your Food Choices Affect Sleep Patterns

Ever wonder why you can’t seem to fall asleep after that late-night pizza binge? Or why your colleague swears by a banana before bed? It’s all about how different foods interact with your body’s sleep physiology.

There’s a study that looks at the effects of diet on sleep, but let’s break it down:

The Carb Conundrum

High carbohydrate diets, especially those rich in refined sugars, can be a double-edged sword when it comes to sleep. On one hand, carbs can help produce serotonin, which can make you feel sleepy.

On the other hand, the blood sugar roller coaster they create can disrupt sleep patterns. It’s like giving your body a sugar high right before asking it to calm down for bed – not exactly a recipe for restful sleep.

Protein Power

Protein is crucial for repairing and building tissues, but it also plays a role in sleep. Foods high in the amino acid tryptophan (like turkey, eggs, and cheese) can help produce melatonin, your body’s sleep hormone.

But here’s the catch – loading up on a high-protein meal right before bed might keep you up as your body works to digest it all.

Fat: Friend or Foe?

Fats, especially saturated fat, have gotten a bad rap in recent years. But when it comes to sleep, some fats might be beneficial. Some say omega-3 fatty acids, for instance, have been linked to better sleep quality.

The Micronutrient Mix

It’s not just about macronutrients. Vitamins and minerals play a crucial role in sleep regulation too. Magnesium can help calm the nervous system.

Vitamin D, which we primarily get from sunlight (but also from fatty fish and egg yolks), is also crucial for healthy sleep patterns.

Timing Is Everything

It’s not just what you eat, but when you eat it. Late-night eating, especially heavy meals, can lead to indigestion, weight gain, and acid reflux, making it hard to get comfortable and fall asleep.

On the flip side, going to bed hungry can also disrupt sleep. It’s all about finding that Goldilocks zone.

Something to think about is that digesting food is a whole process that demands a lot from your body. If you eat too close to climbing into bed, that digestion process will hinder you from getting shut-eye.

It makes sense, right? I reckon we should ideally have around 2-3 hours of no food before bedtime to give our bodies the best chance of getting quality sleep.

The Healthy Diet: What Humans Are Designed To Eat

A term that aggravates me is a “balanced diet”. Or another I often hear is everything “in moderation”. I think these terms permit us to eat crap.

I suppose it seems logical that we should eat a little of everything, but in my opinion, this is too generalized. If that were true then that would be true for all living things.

But give a lion a vegetarian diet and he won’t last long. He’s a pure meat eater; it’s what his digestive system is designed for.

Similarly, give a cow only meat to chow down on instead of grass and she won’t last long either. Her digestive system of numerous stomachs is specifically designed to digest grass.

These are extremes and we land somewhere in the middle. Our digestive systems can deal with both animals and plants which is partly what’s made us so successful as a species.

But does it mean that we should eat both equally? No… it’s a fact that we absorb nutrients and goodness far more efficiently from animals than plants.

I believe our ancestors would’ve eaten mainly animals with some fruit and vegetables when available.

What is a Human Diet?

There are so many diets out there, the world of “what we should eat” is very confusing. I now use the simple question; “What would our hunter-gatherer ancestors have eaten?”

This to me cuts through the BS of our modern world and gets to what we humans have eaten for millennia. And this seems logical to me that this would be the diet our bodies are finely tuned to digest coz’ we’ve been doing it for years.

Plus, it’s pretty easy to answer with a little thought. I reckon you can figure it out right now.

Imagine a time before 7-Eleven, before Paco Bell and Uber Eats. Imagine a time before the first highly processed human-made food; bread.

What else would have been available? Animals, seasonal fruits, and vegetables that are indigenous to where you live. Perhaps nuts and seeds but I can’t imagine these would be in large quantities. And that’s it!

How it Differs from Modern Dietary Recommendations

While many contemporary sleep experts focus on specific foods or supplements to aid sleep, the ancestral approach takes a broader view. Instead of relying on tart cherry juice or kiwi fruit as sleep-promoting foods, it emphasizes overall dietary patterns that support healthy sleep physiology.

Here’s the thing; our ancestors didn’t suffer from many of the sleep disorders that plague us today. They didn’t need melatonin supplements or white noise machines. Their diet and lifestyle naturally supported good sleep quality.

So, how does a human-specific diet potentially lead to better sleep?

1. Balanced Blood Sugar: By avoiding refined carbs and sugars, an ancestral diet helps maintain steady blood sugar levels. No more middle-of-the-night energy crashes disrupting your sleep.
2. Nutrient Density: Ancestral diets are packed with nutrients that support sleep, like magnesium, B vitamins, and animal fats. It’s like a natural sleep supplement in every meal.
3. Reduced Inflammation: Many modern processed foods can cause inflammation, which has been linked to poor sleep quality. An ancestral diet naturally reduces inflammation, potentially leading to more restful sleep.
4. Improved Gut Health: Our gut and sleep are more connected than you might think. The ancestral diet supports a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn can influence sleep patterns.
5. Natural Circadian Rhythm Support: By eating in sync with natural light cycles (no midnight snacks!), an ancestral approach helps regulate our internal body clock.

Now, I’m not suggesting you need to go full caveman to improve your sleep. However, incorporating principles of ancestral eating into your diet could make a significant difference in your sleep quality.

Remember, while others might suggest specific foods to eat or avoid before bedtime, I believe that adopting a more holistic, ancestrally-aligned approach to eating can lead to sustainable improvements in sleep health.

But don’t just take my word for it. In the next section, we’ll explore some of the science behind how diet affects sleep physiology. Get ready for a deep dive into the fascinating world of nutrients, hormones, and those precious z’s!

The Science Behind Diet and Sleep Physiology

Alright, it’s time to put on our lab coats and dive into the nitty-gritty of how what we eat affects our shut-eye. Don’t worry, I promise to keep it more exciting than your high school biology class!

Nutrients That Influence Sleep

Let’s start with the star players in the sleep game:

1. Tryptophan: You’ve probably heard about this one making you sleepy after Thanksgiving turkey. It’s a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, two crucial sleep-regulating hormones. But here’s the twist: our ancestral diet is naturally rich in tryptophan from foods like eggs, fish, and nuts.
2. Magnesium: This mineral is like a chill pill for your nervous system. It helps regulate neurotransmitters that calm your brain.
3. B Vitamins: These little guys help regulate tryptophan and create serotonin. They’re abundant in meat, fish, and eggs – foods our ancestors relied on.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: These healthy fats have been linked to increased sleep duration and improved sleep quality. Fatty fish, a cornerstone of many ancestral diets, is loaded with omega-3s.

Now, while others might suggest popping supplements or focusing on specific “sleep-promoting foods,” I believe getting these nutrients through a well-rounded, ancestral-style diet is the way to go.

It’s how our bodies are designed to absorb and use these nutrients most effectively.

The Impact of Meal Timing on Sleep Duration

It’s not just what you eat, but when you eat that affects your sleep. Our ancestors didn’t have 24/7 access to food like we do. They ate when they could, generally during daylight hours. This natural fasting period aligns perfectly with our circadian rhythms.

Eating late at night can throw off these rhythms. It keeps your digestive system working when it should be resting, potentially leading to poor sleep quality and shorter sleep duration.

An ancestral approach naturally limits late-night snacking, helping to maintain normal sleep patterns.

The Blood Sugar Rollercoaster and Sleep

Here’s where the ancestral diet shines. Modern diets high in refined carbs and sugars can send your blood sugar on a wild ride. This rollercoaster doesn’t stop when you go to bed.

Blood sugar crashes during the night can trigger the release of stress hormones like cortisol, waking you up and disrupting your sleep cycles.

The stable blood sugar levels promoted by an ancestral diet can help you maintain more consistent, restful sleep throughout the night.

Inflammation and Sleep

Chronic low-grade inflammation, often caused by modern processed foods, has been linked to sleep disorders and poor sleep quality. The anti-inflammatory nature of an ancestral diet may help reduce this inflammation, potentially leading to better sleep.

While some might suggest taking anti-inflammatory supplements or medications to improve sleep, I believe addressing the root cause through diet is a more sustainable approach.

Gut Health and Sleep: The Surprising Connection

Here’s a mind-bender: your gut might be controlling your sleep more than you think. The gut microbiome plays a role in producing sleep-regulating hormones like melatonin and serotonin.

The fake food of our modern world wreaks havoc on our microbiome, where a human-specific diet supports the good bacteria and prevents such things as leaky gut.

Beyond Diet: Other Factors Affecting Sleep Health

While we’ve been focusing on how your food choices affect sleep quality, it’s important to remember that diet doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

Our ancestors’ lifestyle involved more than just their eating habits, and these other factors played a crucial role in their sleep patterns too.

Let’s explore how we can incorporate some of this ancestral wisdom into our modern lives for better sleep.

Exercise and Sleep Quality

Our cave-dwelling ancestors didn’t hit the gym, but they were far from sedentary. Their daily lives involved constant movement – hunting, gathering, building, and exploring. This regular physical activity had a significant impact on their sleep quality.

Exercise has been shown to improve both sleep duration and quality. It helps regulate our circadian rhythms, reduces stress, and tires out our bodies, making us more ready for rest when bedtime rolls around.

And vice-versa, sleep is important for muscle growth – one improves the other.

However, timing is crucial. While our ancestors’ activity likely tapered off as the sun set, many of us are hitting the gym after work or late into the evening.

Tip: Try to finish vigorous exercise at least 3 hours before bedtime to give your body time to wind down. Light stretching or yoga in the evening, however, can be beneficial for relaxation and better sleep.

Light Exposure and Sleep Patterns

Here’s where modern life really throws a wrench in our sleep gears.

Our ancestors rose with the sun and went to bed not long after it set. Their exposure to light was entirely natural, which helped keep their circadian rhythms – our internal biological clocks – in sync.

Today, we’re bombarded with artificial light at all hours. The blue light emitted by our screens is particularly disruptive, tricking our brains into thinking it’s still daytime and suppressing the production of melatonin, our sleep hormone.

Certain colors are best for sleep, namely red and orange – similar to the colors of a fire which is all we’d have been exposed to before the invention of the light bulb.

Tip: Try to mimic natural light patterns. Get bright light exposure during the day, especially in the morning. In the evening, dim the lights and use blue light filters on your devices. Better yet, try to avoid screens for at least an hour before bed.

Ever thought about kipping in your backyard? The benefits of sleeping outside might surprise you.

Stress and Sleep

While our ancestors certainly faced stressors (imagine coming face to face with a saber-toothed tiger!), their stress was usually acute and resolved quickly. Modern life, on the other hand, often involves chronic, low-level stress that can wreak havoc on our sleep.

Chronic stress can lead to elevated cortisol levels, making it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. It can also exacerbate insomnia symptoms and reduce sleep quality.

Tip: Incorporate stress-reduction techniques into your daily routine. This could be meditation, deep breathing exercises, or even just taking a relaxing walk in nature. These practices can help lower cortisol levels and prepare your body for restful sleep.

Temperature and Sleep Environment

Our ancestors slept in sync with the natural cooling of the environment as night fell. This drop in temperature signals to our bodies that it’s time to sleep.

Many of us sleep in temperature-controlled environments that don’t mimic this natural pattern. A room that’s too warm can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Tip: Keep your bedroom cool, ideally between 60-67°F (15-19°C). If possible, allow your sleeping space to naturally cool as the evening progresses. Find out more about the benefits of sleeping in a cold room.

While focusing on diet is crucial for improving sleep quality, incorporating these other lifestyle factors can enhance the benefits. By aligning our modern lives more closely with our ancestral patterns, we create an environment that’s conducive to deep, restorative sleep.

In our next and final section, we’ll pull all of these threads together and provide some practical tips for implementing an ancestral approach to diet and lifestyle for better sleep.

Putting It All Together: An Ancestral Approach to Diet and Sleep

We’ve journeyed through time, exploring how our ancestors’ lifestyle might hold the key to better sleep quality in our modern world.

Now, let’s wrap it all up with some practical tips to implement this ancestral wisdom into your daily life.

Tips for Implementing an Ancestral Diet for Better Sleep

1. Ask yourself “What would our ancestors have eaten?” It’s not too hard to answer this question and the answers are what you should be eating and will help with your sleep.
2. Eliminate or at least limit processed foods and added sugars: it’s no good for you and they can disrupt your blood sugar and interfere with sleep quality.
3. Time your meals: Try to eat your last meal at least 3 hours before bedtime to allow for proper digestion.
4. Stay hydrated during the day, but taper off in the evening to minimize nighttime bathroom trips.
5. Consider intermittent fasting: This can help regulate your circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality.

Lifestyle Changes for Healthy Sleep

1. Get regular exercise, preferably during daylight hours.
2. Manage your light exposure: Get plenty of natural light during the day and limit blue light in the evening.
3. Create a sleep-friendly environment: Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
4. Develop a relaxing bedtime routine to signal to your body it’s time to wind down.

Conclusion

While others might suggest quick fixes like tart cherry juice or avoiding spicy foods before bed, I believe the path to truly restful sleep lies in a more holistic approach.

By aligning our diets and lifestyles more closely with our ancestral patterns, we’re not just addressing symptoms but supporting our body’s natural sleep physiology.

Remember, improving sleep quality isn’t about perfection. It’s about making sustainable changes that work for you. Start small, be consistent, and pay attention to how your body responds.

You might just find that by looking to the past, you’re paving the way for a future filled with better sleep quality and improved overall health.

As privileged as we are to be alive today with our comforts, abundance, and safety compared to our previous existence of living in the wilderness, it’s not all aligned with what we need for optimal health including getting quality sleep.

And that’s it… have a restful sleep!

FAQs

Does diet affect sleep quality?

Yes, diet significantly affects sleep quality. Your food choices can influence sleep patterns, duration, and overall restfulness. A healthy diet rich in nutrients like magnesium and tryptophan can promote better sleep, while poor dietary habits may lead to sleep disorders and disrupt normal sleep cycles.

Do you sleep better on a diet?

It depends on the diet. A balanced, nutritious diet can improve sleep quality by providing essential nutrients that support healthy sleep patterns. However, restrictive diets or those causing significant calorie deficits may negatively impact sleep, potentially leading to insomnia symptoms or poor sleep quality.

What foods are good for sleep quality?

Foods that can improve sleep quality include those rich in tryptophan, magnesium, and complex carbohydrates. Tart cherry juice, kiwi fruit, fatty fish, nuts, and whole grains are often recommended as sleep-promoting foods. However, an overall balanced diet is more beneficial for consistent, good sleep quality.

Why is it harder to sleep when dieting?

Dieting, especially restrictive or low-calorie diets, can make it harder to sleep due to hunger, changes in hormone levels, and potential nutrient deficiencies. This can lead to insomnia symptoms, disrupted sleep patterns, and poor sleep quality. Extreme dieting may also increase stress, further negatively impacting sleep.