Dr Michael Mosley on the importance of routine for sleep
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There is a lot of advice to be found around improving your quality of sleep, and adopting healthy sleep routines. Some tips will work for some but may not for others. Fortunately, the NHS says, most sleep problems tend to sort themselves out within about a month.
A study published in the National Library of Medicine found “having sweet almonds for two weeks is associated with reducing insomnia”.
Each day, 10 almonds were given to 446 students for 14 days. Out of the participants, before intervention around 77 percent had insomnia and the rest had normal sleep. After intervention, 69 percent had insomnia and 31 percent had normal sleep.
Some almond milks are made from whole almonds, so perhaps it may also promote good sleep.
If you have insomnia for less than three months, it is called short-term insomnia. Insomnia that lasts three months or longer is called long-term insomnia.
The Sleep Charity explains that achieving a great night’s sleep can be affected by what you eat in the hours before bedtime.
It suggested that almonds are a “winner” as they contain magnesium which promotes both sleep and muscle relaxation.
It stated: “They have the added benefit of supplying proteins which help maintain a stable blood sugar level while sleeping and switch the body from alert adrenaline cycle to rest-and-digest mode.
“Try swapping your afternoon snack to a handful of nuts or mix with milk and honey for a comforting bedtime snack.”
The Sleep Foundation says: “It’s natural to want to find a food to make you sleepy or the single best food for sleep, but it’s important to be realistic.
“Sleep is a complicated process affected by many things including mental health, light exposure, and underlying physical issues.”
The organisation adds: “Diet is also multifaceted. It isn’t just one food; instead, it is cumulative, affected by when, what, and how much we eat throughout a day and over weeks, months, and years.
“Individuals can have distinct reactions to different diets, making it hard to generalise about the perfect diet for everyone.
“Because of these factors, it’s hard to design research studies that provide conclusive answers about the optimal food for sleep.”
Indeed, it says: “Given the complexity of diet and sleep, for many people it may be more meaningful to focus on the big picture — healthy sleep and diet habits — rather than on individual foods and drinks.”
The NHS explains caffeine and alcohol can stop you falling asleep and prevent good quality sleep.
Therefore, it is recommended that people cut down on alcohol and avoid caffeine close to bedtime.
People who smoke also tend to take longer to fall asleep, wake up more frequently, and often have more disrupted sleep, the health body adds.
The NHS says: “Most people experience problems with sleep in their life. In fact, it’s thought that a third of Brits will have episodes of insomnia at some point.”
“Some people are naturally lighter sleepers or take longer to drop off, while some life circumstances might make it more likely for your sleep to be interrupted, like stressful events or having a new baby,” the NHS states.
If poor sleep is affecting your daily life or causing you distress, you can talk to your GP.
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