Sleep is an essential part of an athlete’s schedule. Arguably the most important part even when compared to tough training sessions.
Sleep is part of the circadian rhythm which takes place over a full 24 hour period. The two phases of sleep include rapid eye movement (REM) cycle sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Sleep allows both our body and our cognition to go into a full resting period. This is especially important for active individuals as they place both more physical and mental demand on their body than the average person.
Sleep disturbances and short sleep duration of less than an average of 7 hours results in:
There are many different strategies to help get better sleep. This includes different sleep behaviors such as creating a sleep routine, sleep journaling, meditation, listening to specific background noise, and of course changing up some things in your diet.
Carbohydrates
Increasing carbohydrate consumption can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep for a longer period of time, studies show (1). Particularly carbohydrates high on the glycemic index scale. When paired with a meal 3-4 hours before bedtime, high glycemic index foods showed better sleep.
Some examples of high GI foods include: oatmeal, potatoes, watermelon, rice, and bread (white or wheat).
Additionally, studies were completed showing that a meal of 130g of carbohydrates or more consumed 3-4 hours before bed also helped improve sleep (1).
Protein
More specifically, protein that is rich in tryptophan such as turkey, eggs, fish, dairy products, sunflower seeds, peanuts, steak, and pork chops. Tryptophan is known for increasing the amount of time spent asleep which is helpful for those who experience disturbed sleep such as waking throughout the night.
Tart cherry juice
For active individuals, implementing tart cherry juice into your evening routine is a no-brainer! Tart cherry juice contains natural melatonin, and has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. It has even been shown to help muscle cells recover more quickly from workouts.
When it comes to sleep, a tart cherry juice dose of about 4 oz has been heavily researched and improvements seen in sleep time and improvements in REM sleep.
Kiwi
Kiwifruit also contains naturally occurring melatonin and is antioxidant-rich. Consuming two kiwifruits about 2 hours before bedtime has been researched to improve both sleep quality and sleep efficacy.
Some specific supplements can help improve sleep in addition to making dietary changes.
Magnesium
Low magnesium levels are associated with chronic stress. According to the National Sleep Foundation, supplementation of no more than 350 mg of Magnesium before bedtime can help individuals feel less tired, get better quality sleep, and sleep for a longer duration.
Magnesium rich foods could alternatively be implemented into the diet such as nuts, leafy greens, and dairy products.
B vitamins
The B vitamins including B12 and B6 play an important role in the melatonin and tryptophan production. Supplementation of these may be helpful especially for those which exclude meat products and dairy from their diet.
Better sleep on a day to day basis is going to help improve athletic performance. A great strategy to get better sleep is going to be to have a meal about 3-4 hours before bedtime which contains a good source of carbohydrates and protein. A good example of a meal for better sleep would be rice with turkey or fish and some sauteed greens.
It is a good idea for athletes to implement tart cherry juice before bedtime as well. I like to mix tart cherry juice with some coconut water in a 1:1 ratio to help with the sour taste a bit. 4oz of the tart cherry juice is enough to see positive effects.
As always, please see your doctor before implementing supplements into your everyday routine.
References:
- Doherty, R., Madigan, S., Warrington, G., & Ellis, J. (2019). Sleep and nutrition interactions: implications for athletes. Nutrients, 11(4), 822.
- Zhao, M., Tuo, H., Wang, S., & Zhao, L. (2020). The effects of dietary nutrition on sleep and sleep disorders. Mediators of inflammation, 2020(1), 3142874.
- Halson, S. L. (2014). Sleep in elite athletes and nutritional interventions to enhance sleep. Sports Medicine, 44(Suppl 1), 13-23.
- Lindseth, G., Lindseth, P., & Thompson, M. (2013). Nutritional effects on sleep. Western journal of nursing research, 35(4), 497-513.
- Lin, H. H., Tsai, P. S., Fang, S. C., & Liu, J. F. (2011). Effect of kiwifruit consumption on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems. Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition, 20(2), 169–174.
Discover more about the author, Courtney Pelitera, MS, RD, CNSC, by visiting her bio page.