2023-11-18 14:58:41
The world is witnessing an increase in sleep problems, as increasing numbers of people suffer from lack of sleep hours, while others face difficulties in falling asleep.
In a report published by the Psychology Today website, writer Hara Stroff Marano defined sleep as a biological necessity, encoded rhythmically in every cell of the body. The sleep-wake cycle coordinates all mental and physical processes. “Sleep is essential for cognitive performance, metabolism, immunity, appetite and hormone regulation.”
The biological clock, which is located in the hypothalamus region of the brain, is the main responsible for controlling time, and is closely linked to the cycle of light and darkness in nature. Light is the main factor that prompts the neural network to adjust the rhythm of organ functions and behavior, but it is not the only one. Rather, degrees of External temperature and physical activity levels.
The same applies to diet, which is one of the most powerful synchronizers of the body’s biological clock mechanisms. Researchers have found that nutritional needs are timed with daylight, to the point that eating incorrectly, such as eating late at night, changes the genetic mechanism of the body’s biological clock. itself.
The importance of time distribution of feeding
Astrov Marano emphasized that over the past two decades, nutrition researchers have integrated information regarding the body’s temporal rhythms and developed the field of study known as “chronotrophic nutrition,” one of the clearest results of which is that most people live better, and their metabolism improves, when Eating (and other human activities) is aligned with the biological clock, which is synchronized with light cycles.
Studies show that eating most of your calories at the midday meal and stopping eating before late evening are positive things.
Research indicates that with regard to metabolic and brain health, restricting the time of eating is more important than the amount of energy consumed at those times, meaning that the problem is not always calories. Rather, studies show that shifting energy consumption to an earlier time in the day does not lead to Not only does it lead to weight loss, but it also reduces levels of harmful cholesterol, glucose, and insulin resistance.
Many studies also show that circadian disturbances in sleep, diet, and eating patterns affect diurnal dynamics, impairing metabolic function, and leading to an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome, as skipping breakfast and eating late at night have been linked to rhythm disturbances. Circadian clock, body temperature, melatonin secretion and stress hormone.
Circadian efficiency and sleep
The author pointed out that the timing of meals is not the only thing that affects the efficiency of the biological clock and sleep, because their contents are also important, as there are a number of specific nutrients that affect sleep through the body clock and other means.
The health importance of the Mediterranean diet may be due to its effect on circadian patterns and sleep, as a diet rich in plant foods is also rich in melatonin.
The hormone melatonin affects the circadian rhythm, and is a powerful antioxidant. It is produced by the pineal gland in the brain, but it is also a component of many fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, olive oil, almonds, pine nuts, garlic, cauliflower, lentils and barley, all of which are components of the Mediterranean diet. .
The melatonin content of the food itself can vary greatly, depending on the variety of plants, the time they are harvested, and post-harvest processing. Studies indicate that melatonin derived from the diet raises levels of the hormone in human blood and is biologically active.
Mediterranean diet
The author pointed out that regular consumption of these foods can affect the quality and quantity of sleep, as the Mediterranean diet is characterized by the richness of the midday meal in energy, when circadian rhythms are able to absorb it, and although the health benefits that work to enhance sleep of this diet have not been measured. Diet, but sleep appears to be another way through which diet can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and mental illness.
The Mediterranean diet contains other nutrients that affect sleep, including serotonin, and although it has a complex effect on sleep, sufficient levels in the body are necessary for melatonin production as well.
High levels of serotonin are found in spinach, tomatoes, peaches, and walnuts, all foods that the Mediterranean diet usually contains, and omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, which also work to enhance melatonin production in the body, and studies link them in particular to increased sleep efficiency. .
Whole foods are the best source of nutrients
The author emphasized that the best food sources are whole foods, which usually contain many factors that work simultaneously to enhance positive effects, but supplements such as melatonin and omega-3 fatty acids are also supported by many studies.
She suggests a group of foods that boost melatonin, others that boost serotonin, and a third that are anti-sleep, as follows:
Foods that boost melatonin
Tomatoes Walnuts Grapes Cherries Fatty fish
Foods that boost serotonin
Kiwi yogurt chicken canned tuna
Anti-sleep foods
Dessert caffeine chocolate steak aged cheese citrus fruit
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