While it may not always be easy to get quality rest, the good news is that there are things you can do to give yourself a boost. One way to help ensure that you are getting as much sleep as possible is to make sure that you are getting all the nutrients you need for good sleep. What many don’t realize is that the lack of certain nutrients in their system can actually lead to poorer quality sleep. If you are looking for some ways to make sure your diet is rounded out and you are getting the nutrition you need to support your sleep, here are some things to consider.
Do Your Research
When you are working to improve your sleep through nutrition, you first need to do some research and gain some understanding of what nutrients will make the biggest difference for your health and sleep. From a vitamin D deficiency to a lack of magnesium, there are multiple different deficiencies that can lead to sleep issues. Not only that, but many of these nutrients interact with each other in different ways, and it is important to understand how they will be absorbed by your body to make sure that you are getting the most out of them.
Adjust Your Diet
While doing your research, it can also be a good idea to begin adjusting your diet. While some may get enough extra nutrients from adding supplements to their daily health regimen, the reality is that to get the most benefits, it is also a good idea to make sure that you are eating plenty of foods that are high in these nutrients as well. This is because nutrients that are in foods rather than supplements are often more bioavailable. When a nutrient is more bioavailable, that means that it is easier for your body to absorb and use. Not only that, but many foods tend to have more than one nutrient, as opposed to some supplements. Because of this, when you are eating a healthy diet you can help ensure that you are consuming a wider variety of nutrients that will be good for your overall sleep quality.
Get Plenty of Magnesium
One of the most important nutrients for good sleep is a mineral called magnesium. Not only can magnesium help you to feel relaxed, but it also helps you to maintain a healthy level of GABA, which is a receptor that is needed for good sleep. Magnesium can not only help you when it comes to falling asleep, but it can help you get deeper sleep as well. If you want to improve its intake, you can use magnesium chloride, for example.
Additionally, many adults are deficient in magnesium. This can have a lot to do with the fact that your body needs a lot of this mineral to carry out different processes. Not only that, but things like stress, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar will all contribute to depleting this nutrient within your system. To make sure that you are getting plenty of magnesium, it can be beneficial to both try a supplement, and to eat more foods that contain magnesium as well. Some good magnesium-rich foods include almonds, cashews, dark chocolate, and salmon.
Soak Up Some Vitamin D
Along with magnesium, getting plenty of vitamin D is also essential for good quality sleep. Just like magnesium, vitamin D plays many important roles within your body and also impacts your ability to get deep sleep. This is due in part to the fact that vitamin D has a lot to do with regulating your sleep/wake cycles. Without it, your brain and body may have a difficult time shutting down when it needs to. Not only that, but vitamin D has a lot to do with your sleep receptors as well, and maintaining proper function. If you want to increase your vitamin D levels, it can be a good idea to both add vitamin D-rich foods to your diet, and to also consider your lifestyle as well. If you don’t spend much time outside in the sun, making sure that you get out in sunlight for at least 15 minutes a day can be a good way to help your body produce more vitamin D. In addition to that, there can be benefits to including more vitamin D rich foods in your diet, like eggs, cheese and yogurt.
Take B Complex Vitamins
A set of nutrients that is important for good sleep are B complex vitamins. While taking a dose of B complex vitamins may keep you up at night if you take them too close to bedtime, making sure that you are getting adequate amounts of vitamin B, in general, can be essential for good sleep overall. Not only do many B vitamins work synergistically with other vitamins that help you sleep, but vitamin B6 in particular can help you to get deeper sleep overall.
Try Melatonin
Melatonin is another substance that can be great for getting better sleep. Essentially, it is one of the hormones that helps you to fall asleep and stay asleep. It will build up gradually throughout the day until it is built up at night. Without enough of it in your system, you may find yourself tossing and turning at night when you are trying to get rest. Typically, your body will produce melatonin on its own. However, in some cases, you may not be making enough to get good sleep. If you struggle with getting decent sleep and are already taking many sleep-supporting vitamins and nutrients, supplementing with melatonin may be beneficial.
Some Parting Thoughts
Quality sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. If you don’t get the rest you need on a regular basis, it can be difficult for your body to carry out the processes that it needs to for you to feel your best. Even though today’s hectic world can make it difficult to maintain sleep-supporting habits at times, that doesn’t mean that you just have to struggle. Whether you have trouble falling asleep in the first place or you struggle to stay asleep, there are multiple vitamins and nutrients that can aid you in getting the sleep that you and your body need.
No matter what medications you are taking, none is a cure for sleep apnea. If you live in Alaska and need a sleep doctor, Alaska Sleep Clinic‘s board-certified sleep specialists can help you to improve your sleep and your life. Call us today for your free consultation.
