Ever wonder why you're not able to fall asleep at night? No matter how much you toss and turn or how many sheep you count? The answer might just be what you eat. Nutrition is an essential part of a good night’s rest, but is often overlooked. While food helps us run faster and jump higher, it can also play a role in helping us fall asleep and stay asleep so that we can perform at our best. VIS Expert and neuroscientist, Allison Brager, PhD, offers some helpful tips to keep you dreaming big and recovering better.
It's All About Routine
According to Brager, teenage and college athletes advises us to aim for a minimum of nine, if not 10 or 11, hours of sleep a night. “You need more sleep because you're still a growing brain and a growing body,” she explains. The more sleep, the better. She introduces the concept of sleep banking, meaning “the more you bank on sleep before anticipated game day travel or sleep deprivation due to early morning practice, the more protected you are against injury, performance decline, overtraining, [and] getting sick.”
Brager also highlights the importance of an eating schedule to help you fall asleep at night. Our bodies have an internal clock that is “more or less intrigued to predict food at a certain time, and so the more you can keep those clocks trained, the more our physiology and hormonal regulation are optimal,” she says.
Creating a routine is all about what works for you! It’s best to avoid eating full meals two to three hours before bed, but if you find yourself needing a snack, reach for something that has low metabolism and avoid high fat, high sugar foods. Sweets are the most important thing to avoid before bedtime because they “spike your blood glucose,” making it much harder to get a good night’s rest.
“The more you're fueling yourself throughout the day and leading up to bed, the better prepared you are, because the harder you can train, the longer you can go, and you're just going to feel better.”
So, What Should I Eat?
Brager is a big believer in reaching for high carb foods. But if we are eating something that is high in carbs, we need to be mindful of the glycemic index so we don’t spike our blood glucose. Brager recommends eating foods such as sweet potatoes, bananas, and oatmeal. All of these help you get your carbohydrates in without increasing that blood glucose level. Whey protein shakes are also a great way to get protein and carbs before an event.
In addition to whole foods, supplements are also a great way to support both performance and sleep. Brager says that the two most important supplements as an athlete are protein and creatine. “I know creatine has gotten a bad rep in the past, but we know it is one of the key supplements for maintaining athletic performance. It's also a key supplement for brain health as well, and helps to include dealing with or helping combating the acute effects of sleep loss,” she adds.
The Relationship Between Sleep, Nutrition, and Performance
Nutrition is a key factor in everything we do. “The more you're fueling yourself throughout the day and leading up to bed, the better prepared you are, because the harder you can train, the longer you can go, and you're just going to feel better. You're going to be less likely to feel burnt out and overtrained,” Brager says.
What you eat directly plays a crucial role in how well you sleep, and rest is essential for becoming the best version of yourself. Fueling yourself properly will help promote better sleep quality, allowing you to feel better rested and ready to tackle your day. By choosing the right foods and maintaining a constant routine, you can maximize both your recovery and performance on and off the court.
