Sleep is essential for good health and a sense of well-being. It gives your cells—especially in your brain and muscles—time to rest, clean out waste, and repair. For women struggling with inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, and hormone issues, getting enough quality sleep is crucial. It helps reduce inflammation throughout the body and lowers the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, depression, metabolic syndrome, and high blood pressure. Being well-rested promotes physical and mental energy, attention, and productivity, which are vital for managing the daily challenges many women face.
In short, getting enough quality sleep every day can help optimize just about everything for your body and mind.
Poor sleep, on the other hand, is linked to increased risks for weight gain, larger waist circumference, and obesity. This is partly due to sleep’s impact on appetite hormones, leading to increased hunger, cravings, and decreased feelings of satiety. When you are tired, you will usually want more sugar for the quick pick me up which often leads to a crash and then you will need another pick me up, leading to a vicious cycle. Lack of sleep also raises levels of stress hormones like cortisol, which is linked to more belly fat and insulin resistance—issues many women are all too familiar with.
When it comes to sleep goals, the ideal amount of sleep adults need to maximize health and well-being is 7-9 hours per night. This amount allows our brains to cycle through different stages of sleep, including rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (non-REM). High-quality sleep involves 3-5 cycles of REM to non-REM sleep every night, which needs 7-9 hours uninterrupted. Adults who get at least 7 hours of sleep each night have a reduced risk of many chronic conditions, enhancing overall wellness. It is also important to sleep at least 7 hours a night for weight loss, as 12 AM to 7 AM is when fat is actually released.
Nutrition for Better Sleep
Sleep and nutrition are intricately linked, especially for women dealing with inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, and hormone issues. Poor sleep can increase cravings and hunger, exacerbating these problems. On the other hand, several foods and drinks can significantly impact the quality and amount of sleep you get. Lifestyle and dietary choices, like when to enjoy caffeine and what foods promote better sleep (and which do the opposite), are essential nutrition strategies to consider if you’re trying to get more, high-quality sleep.
Be Strategic About When to Enjoy Caffeine
The reason coffee is so popular in the mornings is due to its proven ability to stimulate the mind and help you feel awake. However, focusing your caffeine intake when you wake up and reducing—or eliminating—it in the hours leading up to your bedtime can help you achieve better sleep.
While coffee and caffeinated energy drinks are obvious sources of high caffeine, many other foods and drinks contain caffeine in smaller amounts that can add up. Teas, sodas, chocolate, and even decaffeinated coffee have some caffeine, so consider limiting these several hours before bed to improve your sleep quality.
Fun Fact: For many people, caffeine starts to exert its stimulating effects in 30 minutes or less, but these effects can last for 10 hours or more. That’s why I recommend cutting back on java and other sources of caffeine around noon. Wholesome Health recommends 8 to 10 ounces of coffee in the morning only. Matcha green tea is a much better alternative, as it has L-theanine which will offset the caffeine spike.
Checkout my Facebook post about Matcha and it’s benefits.
Enjoy These Nutritious Foods and Drinks for Better Sleep (and Overall Health)
While there isn’t a magical food or drink that will instantly make you sleepy, eating a nutritious diet positively affects sleep quality, which is crucial for women dealing with inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, and hormone issues. Here are specific foods that can help promote better sleep and overall health.
Cherries
Several studies have shown that eating cherries may help improve sleep. This effect is thought to be due to the serotonin and melatonin content in cherries, along with their phytonutrients (plant-based nutrients).
- Fun Fact: Melatonin is a natural sleep-inducing neurotransmitter (sometimes called a “sleep hormone”) that helps set your sleep-wake cycle and tells your brain when to get ready for sleep. Melatonin is made from the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter serotonin.
Fatty Fish
Eating fatty fish is also linked to better sleep. Fish like salmon, mackerel, and trout contain essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin D, which are thought to influence serotonin secretion, leading to drowsiness.
Whole Grains
Johns Hopkins suggests eating complex carbohydrates like whole wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal, or brown rice before bed. Complex carbohydrates can trigger the release of serotonin. Simple carbohydrates like sugary and starchy foods and desserts are linked to insomnia, increased stress hormones, and reduced serotonin levels—none of which are good for sleep. Additionally, whole grains contain fiber, which seems to help increase the time spent in deeper sleep.
Poultry and Dairy
Serotonin and melatonin are made from the amino acid tryptophan. Eating foods that contain tryptophan ensures that it’s readily available when those neurotransmitters are needed to improve mood and induce drowsiness. Foods rich in tryptophan include poultry (chicken and turkey), fish, eggs, dairy (milk and cheese), beans, and pumpkin seeds.
Legumes, Nuts, and Seeds
The essential mineral magnesium is thought to help improve sleep quality. Foods high in magnesium include whole grains, fish, spinach, avocados, legumes, soy products, and nuts and seeds. For women struggling with inflammation, brain fog, and fatigue, incorporating magnesium-rich foods can be especially beneficial.
Warm Milk or Herbal Teas
Sometimes a small cup of a soothing warm beverage can help you feel sleepy before bed. The Cleveland Clinic recommends warm milk or an herbal tea like chamomile or peppermint. However, be mindful of not drinking too much liquid before bed to avoid waking up in the middle of the night.
Want to incorporate more of these sleep-promoting foods into your diet? Check out our Better Sleep E-book for delicious and nutritious meal ideas that can help you get better sleep and improve your overall health.
Foods and Drinks That Can Disrupt Your Sleep
Good sleep isn’t only about neurotransmitters that impact your brain and sleep patterns. How your body digests and eliminates foods and drinks can also significantly affect your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
For example, your digestion tends to slow down during sleep. So, if heartburn or indigestion cause you nighttime discomfort, avoid eating large meals or troublesome foods (like spicy or acidic foods) within a few hours of bedtime. This is particularly important for women struggling with inflammation and digestive issues, as these can exacerbate sleep disturbances.
If you often need to wake up in the night to go to the bathroom, consider getting all of the fluids you need earlier in the day so you can stop drinking an hour or two before bedtime. This can help ensure a more restful and uninterrupted night’s sleep.
Does Alcohol’s Drowsing Effect Mean Better Sleep?
It’s pretty common to feel relaxed and drowsy after that last cocktail or glass of wine at night, but does that nightcap really help you get enough high-quality sleep?
Alcohol can indeed help you fall asleep, but feeling sleepy doesn’t necessarily translate to a good night’s sleep. For women struggling with inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, and hormone issues, drinking alcohol often leads to fragmented sleep, where you wake up several times throughout the night. Alcohol suppresses essential REM sleep and can result in more vivid dreams, nightmares, sleepwalking, and other disruptive sleep disorders. It can even exacerbate conditions like insomnia and breathing problems such as sleep apnea. Moreover, the more alcohol consumed, the worse sleep quality tends to become.
Not to mention the morning after a night with too much alcohol—oversleeping and grogginess can prevent you from feeling your best self the next day.
These sleep disturbances occur because as your body breaks down and metabolizes alcohol, it disrupts the natural healthy sleep cycle essential for achieving sound and restful sleep. Alcohol’s metabolism prevents you from waking up feeling refreshed and rested.
Alcohol acts as a sleep buster. Alcohol messes up your sleep because of what it does to your body’s physiology and biochemistry. For women struggling with inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, and hormone issues, here are some reasons why alcohol disrupts sleep:
- Several hours after drinking alcohol, your body releases the stress hormone epinephrine (adrenaline), a stimulant that increases heart rate and can cause you to wake up during the night.
- People who consume alcohol often experience more leg movements during sleep, which can disrupt restful sleep patterns.
- Alcohol can reduce your melatonin levels, impacting your sleep-wake cycle and making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
- Drinking alcohol can exacerbate indigestion, heartburn, and the need to wake up to use the bathroom, interrupting what should be a sound night of sleep.
If getting more high-quality sleep is important to you, consider cutting down on alcohol—especially before bedtime.
Looking for refreshing alternatives to alcohol? Explore our mocktail recipes for delicious alcohol-free mocktails that can help you relax without disrupting your sleep.
Final Thoughts
Sleep is crucial for optimal health and well-being. Many women struggle to achieve the recommended 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night and often wake up feeling far from refreshed and energized. However, there are actionable steps you can take to improve your sleep quality.
By making adjustments to your diet and lifestyle, you can positively influence your body’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Limit caffeine to the mornings, adopt a nutritious diet that includes foods promoting better sleep, and reduce alcohol consumption. These changes can help you anticipate waking up feeling rested and revitalized while nurturing both your body and mind.
The brain possesses a remarkable capacity for change and adaptation. By altering our thoughts, we can rewire neural pathways, offering significant potential for neurocognitive conditioning. Overcoming negative thought patterns and nurturing new ones can be transformative. For instance, instead of reinforcing the belief that you don’t sleep well, shift your self-talk to affirmations like “I sleep fabulously, wake up rested, and feel energized all day.” When faced with difficulty sleeping, focus on thoughts of what you desire rather than what you fear, gradually guiding yourself back to restful sleep. I’ve personally employed this technique with success, using mantras such as “I am peaceful, I effortlessly fall asleep and stay asleep, and I am deeply relaxed.” Remember, changing your thoughts can profoundly change your world.
Need personalized guidance on nutrition and lifestyle for better sleep? As a registered nurse specializing in functional medicine and nutrition for women struggling with inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, weight gain, and hormone issues, I’m here to support you on your journey to better sleep and overall wellness.
References
Binks, H., E Vincent, G., Gupta, C., Irwin, C., & Khalesi, S. (2020). Effects of Diet on Sleep: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 12(4), 936. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12040936
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7230229/
Cleveland Clinic. (2020, June 17). Why you should limit alcohol before bed for better sleep. Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-you-should-limit-alcohol-before-bed-for-better-sleep/
Cleveland Clinic. (2022, May 25). 6 foods that help you sleep. Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/foods-that-help-you-sleep/
Duke Health & Well-being. (2020, August 11). Understanding the connections between sleep and nutrition. https://dhwblog.dukehealth.org/understanding-the-connections-between-sleep-and-nutrition/
Harvard Health Medical School. (2019, August 9). Alcohol and fatigue. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/alcohol-and-fatigue
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Better Sleep: 3 simple diet tweaks. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/better-sleep-3-simple-diet-tweaks
Pan American Health Organization. (2021). Alcohol and sleep: How alcohol can affect your sleep. https://www.paho.org/en/documents/alcohol-series-alcohol-and-sleep-how-alcohol-can-affect-your-sleep
Sejbuk, M., Mirończuk-Chodakowska, I., & Witkowska, A. M. (2022). Sleep Quality: A Narrative Review on Nutrition, Stimulants, and Physical Activity as Important Factors. Nutrients, 14(9), 1912. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091912
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/9/1912Sleep Foundation. (2023, July 18). Alcohol and sleep. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/alcohol-and-sleep