The relationship between what we eat and how we sleep is much closer than it seems. Our diet not only affects the quality of sleep, but also our ability to fall asleep and stay rested. Eating dinner late, eating heavy meals or constantly snackinge During the day it can alter circadian rhythms, overload the digestive system and unbalance the microbiota, key components of optimal rest. In addition, poor eating habits can occur Creates inflammation And glucose spikes, affecting the nervous system and disrupting the relaxation needed for sleep. Conversely some nutrients eg Tryptophan, prebiotic fiber or polyphenols present in spices and vegetablesIt directly affects the production of melatonin and serotonin, two essential hormones for sleep.
he Dr. Alvaro Campillo, General and Digestive Surgeon at the JM Morales Méxeuil University General Hospital in Mercia And KOBHO LABS experts have discovered that small adjustments to diet, such as adding spice to morning coffee or respecting fasting periods, can promote better rest and make sleep less of a nightmare.
What are the most common mistakes in our diet that affect sleep?
One of the most common mistakes is eating dinner late and with a large meal. Even if you eat dinner early, if you go to bed too late, you won’t have a restful night’s sleep. Furthermore, if we do not respect the digestive rest period, we are System overloading. Our digestive system not only carries out digestion, it also has immunological functions and maintains the microbiota, which is the body’s first line of defense. When we don’t let the digestive system rest, these functions are compromised and the microbiota becomes unbalanced, which can directly affect our sleep and our immune system.
Eating a late or heavy dinner not only affects sleep, it also interferes with the body’s ability to detoxify and repair tissues at night.
Can eating all the time affect our defenses?
absolutely Constant snacking prevents our digestive system from performing important processes such as cleaning out toxins. Our body has a mechanism called “Migratory motor complex“, which acts like a garbage truck in the intestine, cleaning out what is not needed. This process is activated several hours after we stop eating. If you continue to digest, waste such as microplastics, toxins and endocrine disruptors remain in the body. .intestinal, affecting the microbiota and weakening the natural defenses.
Does a small snack like an olive or almond also interfere with this process?
Not necessarily. Eating something minimal before a meal, such as olives, some nuts or vegetables like cucumber, is not a problem. Because it can even be beneficial Helps reduce glucose and insulin spikesFor a better metabolic balance.
Gut microbiota is key to good sleep: Imbalances in these bacteria can divert essential nutrients toward inflammatory pathways instead of rest.
© Getty ImagesFoods rich in tryptophan are much talked about as a solution to improve sleep. Is it really like that?
Tryptophan-rich foods can help, but their effects are not immediate. It is ideal to eat them during the day, Not exactly at dinner, because the metabolic process that converts tryptophan to serotonin and melatonin takes time. On the other hand, if your microbiota isn’t balanced, these amino acids can go down an inflammatory pathway, harming instead of helping. So you have to take care of the microbiota.
So, the first step to better sleep is improving the microbiota?
The right microbiota plays a fundamental role. There are specific tests to assess your condition, such as the analysis of zonulin in the stool, which are accessible and affordable. This test measures whether the gut is too leaky, indicating an imbalance. However, even without a test, you can take basic measures such as earlier dinners, lightening them and Prioritize a variety of vegetables.
It is important that spices are added to vegetables because they increase polyphenols, improve immunity and help you sleep better.
Raw or cooked?
It’s a little indifferent, but there are aspects to take into account. Fried foods are not recommended, and not cooked at very high temperatures, as many antioxidants and phytochemicals are lost. However, boiling is a great way to prepare food, especially in winter, as it settles better in the stomach. You can also choose: One day Opt for boiled and raw on other days. The important thing is to supplement with spices, as they enhance the polyphenols which helps your body. Although vegetables already have prebiotic properties, sometimes they do not contain many polyphenols, and this is where spices are a great ally: they protect the microbiota, improve immunity and it helps you sleep more restfully.
What would be the most interesting spice to include?
is the most interesting Turmeric combined with black pepper, pepper, ginger, nutmeg, black cumin and cinnamon. Of course, the cinnamon must be from Ceylon, as other varieties may contain substances harmful to the liver if consumed in excess. Also more common spices eg Parsley or thyme They have incredible benefits. In fact, many of the active ingredients in some drugs to treat certain types of digestive cancer have been isolated from these spices.
© Adobe StockHow to take them?
For example, you can add spices to your morning coffee: cayenne, turmeric, ginger, cumin
All that coffee?
Yes, in morning coffee. This is what I do and also, I already ensure my daily minimum dose of spices. Then throughout the day I add more, but at least I have a base. You can include them in dinner, for example, in a vegetable cream or consommé. Each person should find a time when it is easiest to incorporate these spices.
I think adding too many spices at once can be a little overpowering.
Of course, the ideal is to start small, with half a teaspoon or even a pinch, especially with the hottest spices. Over time, increase the amount as you feel comfortable. It is a habit that develops gradually.
During the pandemic, I saw someone boiling spices in an Italian coffee maker, as if making tea instead of coffee. Will it work?
This can help, but cooking at high temperatures destroys many polyphenols, which are the most beneficial compounds. It’s best to add them directly to the coffee or tea once ready, so they don’t get so hot. Something similar happens with tea leaves: if you steep them at 100 degrees Celsius, you lose a lot of properties. Ideal is to do it at around 90°C or let the water drop in temperature a bit before adding them.
Foods contain the same calories at any time, but their metabolic effects depend on when you consume them
We really know very little about how to cook or take advantage of the nutritional value of food, do we?
correct d Foods contain the same calories at any given time, but their metabolic effects vary. For example, the pancreas, which produces insulin, works best in the morning. If you eat a meal that requires a lot of insulin for dinner, such as carbohydrates, your pancreas will respond, but not in the same way at 8am. This can cause high spikes in insulin and glucose that are long-term linked to problems like type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, obesity, and even Alzheimer’s, now considered “type 3 diabetes” because of its association with hyperglycemia. It also affects the vagus nerve, which connects the brain to the digestive system, and can be damaged by this metabolic imbalance.
So, can a diet be specifically designed to take care of the vagus nerve?
Yes of course. The key is to avoid sharp insulin spikes. For example, you can start the meal with vegetables, such as a cucumber or some nuts, which have a low glycemic impact. Then you continue with protein and fat, and leave carbohydrates for last. You can also use resistant starch, eg Cook, chill and reheat beans, which lowers their glycemic index. This way, you avoid spikes that can create inflammation and damage tissues like the vagus nerve.
© Adobe StockCan fasting help us sleep and improve our overall health?
This is how it goes. The great doctor of humanity like Dr Hippocrates became famous because he made his patients fast.They didn’t call it that though. For example, the great emperors were not directly told that they were fasting; They simply gave them light broth and their bodies began to heal themselves. This happens because when the digestive system is not busy digesting, the body can focus on other tasks, such as repairing tissue and fighting infection. It is important to remember that 70% of our immune system resides in the gut. When we free it from constant digestion, it has time to perform these essential functions.
So fasting is beneficial for exactly that reason, because it gives the gut time to perform other functions.
exactly When we don’t digest, the gut can focus on something else Basic functions, such as detoxification and microbiota balance. It is beneficial not only for the digestive system but also for the overall health of the body. Fasting does not have to be extreme; Simply bringing dinner forward can create a period of physiological rest that already provides great benefits.
Respecting fasting periods is key to detoxifying the body and keeping the microbiota healthy
What advice do you have for those who finish work late and can’t have an early dinner?
A light dinner would be ideal. Start with vegetables, continue with protein and healthy fats and, if you need a dessert, choose a plain Greek yogurt with nuts or fruit. Apple, which is a precursor to melatonin.
Finally, supplements have become great allies for our general health and when should we resort to them?
Supplements can be useful if, despite taking care of your diet and rest, you continue to have problems with sleep, digestion or fatigue. They are also a good option if you have a chronic pathology or need extra support during times of stress.
