Diet plays a big role in quality sleep
21/11/2011
Maintaining a good diet will have an impact on how well people are able to sleep in their beds at night, an expert has indicated.
Helena Oades, nutritionist and director of zealhealth.co.uk, explained that the body's circadian rhythm depends on a balance of hormones and neurotransmitters.
"The level of one hormone, cortisol, which is important in helping us manage stress, should fall at night so that we are more relaxed and sleep is promoted," she continued.
Levels of cortisol can, however, be influenced by a range of factors including stress, as well as the intake of sugar, alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine.
Anyone who relies on these on a regular basis may benefit from gradually reducing their sugar intake or switching to a different type of tea such as rooibos.
Experts at the School of Life Sciences at Northumbria University recently suggested that drinking cherry juice can help improve sleep as it boosts melatonin levels - the hormone responsible for regulating sleep.
Posted by Elizabeth Mewes
