Foods that help sleep or keep you awake at night
Do you find yourself waking in the wee hours of the morning far too often? Well, diet could be to blame for ruining your sleep cycle.
Naturopathic doctor Kate Rhéaume joined Bob Cowan on Morning Live to share what foods promote sleep or keep you awake at night.
“What we eat can make or break our sleep,” Rhéaume said in an interview Friday.
“If our blood sugar is fluctuating too much while we’re sleeping, that can actually wake us up in the middle of the night.”
Foods that Keep You Awake at Night
Rhéaume said high glycemic index (GI) foods, also known as foods that spike your blood sugar levels more quickly, can disrupt your sleep during the night.
Examples of these types of food include white bread, white rice, cereal, chips and cookies, among others.
High GI foods also contribute to weight gain: “When people gain weight, especially abdominal fat, blood sugar levels gradually begin to fluctuate more in response to eating throughout the day. When your blood sugar is not stable, it can drop during the night and that’s what wakes you up,” she said.
If you are not overweight but you wake up in the middle of the night, Rhéaume said it is still important to maintain stabilized blood sugar levels.
Blood Sugar Balancing Foods
What you eat for your first meal of the day sets the tone for your blood sugar for the rest of the day and night.
Here are three categories of food to focus on at every meal:
Protein: This macronutrient helps the body remain satiated for long periods of time and is an important source of energy. Protein also helps slow digestion and prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes. Food sources include meat, eggs, organic dairy, whole grains, fish, nuts, seeds, beans and vegetables.
Fibre: When it comes to dietary fibre, Rhéaume recommended avoiding bran and psyllium because they can contribute to digestive issues. Instead, focus on whole, unprocessed fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Soluble fibre will absorb water to form a natural fibre gel in the stomach. The gel will combine with sugar to release it more slowly into the bloodstream, buffering the impact on blood sugar levels.
Fat: Consuming healthy fats such as seafood, avocados, nuts and seeds can help lower cholesterol and keep blood sugar levels stable. Other sources include avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil.
Blood Sugar Balancing Supplements
While diet and exercise are crucial for healthy blood sugar levels, Rhéaume said supplements can play a role as well.
Berberine: A naturally occurring compound found in certain medicinal plants. She said it shares the same blood sugar-lowering actions as Metformin, one of the most prescribed medications for diabetes.
Cinnamon: Whether used as a spice or supplement, research suggests that cinnamon can help to regulate blood sugar levels. One study found that prediabetic individuals who supplemented with cinnamon had improvements in glucose tolerance.
Chromium: This supplement can enhance glucose metabolism and is naturally found in broccoli, potatoes, green beans, whole grain products, beef, poultry, dairy products and fruits such as apples, bananas and grape juice.
