Insomnia

Insomnia is defined by regular difficulty with initiating and maintaining sleep. Lack of long restorative sleep, frequent nocturnal awakenings, prolonged periods of wakefulness during the sleep period, or even frequent arousals are evidence of insomnia, and it is a disorder. It is considered a problem if it occurs at least 3 times a week for a month.

Our natural internal 24-hour clock communicates through circadian rhythm signals with your brain and body. Most of the physiological processes and behaviors are regulated by the circadian clock.

• Insomnia has been considered both a symptom and a sign. Individuals with chronic inflammation and immune disorders are at a higher risk of insomnia, whereas sleep disorders affect the risk of developing and the course of the conditions. Medication like steroids affects sleep. Kinnucan et al., 2013., Hsiao et al., 2015.
• Essential body functions that occur during quality sleep do not happen, which dysregulates good mental, emotional, and physical health. Insomnia exacerbates chronic inflammation in both the mind and body, thereby increasing further health risks. Mullington et al., 2010.
• Puts the body into fight or flight mode, which revs up the nervous system and increases cortisol which ultimately leads to an increase in bad gut bacteria, causing malabsorption of nutrition and gut health imbalance. Rodenbeck et al., 2002., Madison & Kiecolt-Glaser, 2019.
• Emotional disturbances. There’s a bidirectional relation between emotional reactivity and sleep. Emotions affect sleep, and sleep plays a crucial role in regulating emotions. REM sleep is essential for emotional processing. Yoo et al. 2007.
• Increased accidents, fatigue, less productivity and energy, difficulty with concentration and memory, and performance.
• Depressive disorders. Fang et al., 2019.
• Weight gain. Studies show that people who sleep less are more likely to be overweight because it causes chronic inflammation. The body holds onto fat and retains salt when it doesn’t get enough sleep because of hunger hormone dysfunction. Plus, it induces cravings and overindulgence in sugar, bad carbs, and high-fat foods. It also decreases satiety. Obesity increases the risk of sleep disorders. Read the post: Weight Loss and The Link to Sleep. Cooper et al., 2018., Beccuti & Pannain 2011.

Firstly, medication can cause gut dysbiosis (Le Bastard et al. 2017), which will cause immune dysregulation and chronic inflammation, ultimately disrupting your sleep and putting you at risk of developing diseases.

Secondly, sleeping pills do not give you natural sleep, which disallows all the essential restorative functions that occur in sleep. They sedate you, but you will not experience natural, beneficial sleep. Sleeping pills work on receptors that stop your brain cells from firing. They knock out the higher regions of your brain cortex.

Deep sleep brain activity is very different than sedated sleep. Plus, you get next-day grogginess with sleeping pills. Your motor skills are slower, and you crave caffeine, high-fat foods and sugar, and overindulging. This, of course, will lead to more insomnia and gut dysbiosis.

When you stop taking sleeping pills, you can experience worse insomnia than before because the sleeping pills will have altered your brain receptors. Rebound insomnia is a common occurrence. Roehrs et al., 1990.

In a study marking whether sleeping pills work, two groups of people were given sleeping pills or placebos, and their sleep was recorded. The results were that there was no difference in the sleep recordings.

In 2012, the University of Lincoln noted that the benefit of taking sleeping pills comes from the placebo effect.

Struggling with sleep can impact every aspect of your life, including your energy, mood, focus, digestion, and even your body’s ability to heal and regulate inflammation. Whether you have difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling unrested, insomnia can be both frustrating and exhausting.

The expert advice below offers practical, science-backed guidance to help you naturally improve your sleep quality. From lifestyle changes and nutrition tips to relaxation techniques and supplement suggestions, this guidance is here to support long-term, restorative sleep without relying on quick fixes.

It is essential in the sleep/wake and light/darkness cycle, telling us when to wake up and when to sleep, as well as the duration, continuity, and type of sleep. Our circadian clock tells us when to eat, drink, and go to the bathroom. It affects our moods and emotions, and regulates our core body temperature, metabolic rate, and hormone release.

Exposure to artificial light after sunset, and very often, before sunrise, results in later bedtimes and reduced sleep time. This affects natural eating times, digestion, absorption, quantity, and behavior.

If you are new to Eat Burn Sleep and want to treat insomnia, you have done the right thing by embarking on this optimum health protocol. You are aiding sleep by eating gut-healthy nutrition regularly, digesting and absorbing, and staying hydrated. Grander et al., 2013.

You can promote the best sleep by engaging in anti-inflammatory movements and stress-reducing activities daily. Without all of these, insomnia is more likely. Changes in cytokine levels will aid in the alleviation of any pain if you have a condition, as well as inflammation, which will contribute to improving sleep quality.

Sleep will happen once you are in the good routine of the Eat Burn Sleep lifestyle on an 80/20 basis. You will be neither too full nor hungry, and you will be nutritionally satisfied.

However, the following is noted for aiding sleep.

• Start with your bedroom. What color is it? Gentle, warm, soft shades on the walls and blackout blinds and/or curtains are perfect for a good sleep environment. Ensure that your bedroom is uncluttered. Have soft lighting lamps (red, orange, and amber lights are good for sleep. Blue, green, and bright white will inhibit melatonin production). Make sure your mattress and pillows are supportive and comfortable. Wool pillows are found to be effective at regulating heat and absorbing moisture. Linen or cotton sheets are comforting and help your body maintain a suitable temperature. Consider a couple of layers to adjust the temperature as needed. See below about a weighted blanket. Make your bed look inviting.
• Start the day by allowing natural light into your eyes. LED and electric light reduce the natural order of the 24-hour clock within our brains. Getting a good dose of natural light early helps regulate the circadian rhythm.
• Ensure you get daytime light exposure throughout the day. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with insomnia. Vitamin D levels are regulated by exposure to sunlight, and sunlight affects the circadian rhythm. Melatonin is involved with the circadian rhythm and sleep and is regulated by vitamin D. Lucock et al., 2015.
• Start the day by telling yourself that you will sleep well later. Say this throughout the day to yourself.
• Do a movement every morning, in natural daylight, not in the evening. Body temperature rises 1-2 hours afterward and won’t drop sufficiently to initiate good sleep. Exercise increases essential good quality NREM sleep. There’s a bidirectional connection between sleep and exercise. Adults sleep more with regular anti-inflammatory exercise. Being sedentary does not promote sleep. Use the Walking Guide.
• Eat three times a day, and have good carbs for your evening meal. Say no to a cup of coffee and limit alcohol after dinner.
• Follow the foods and drinks to favor and avoid below.
• Try to limit smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant.
• Avoid daytime napping (if you have trouble sleeping). If you can’t avoid a nap, try a short nap, under 30 minutes, just after lunch. No later.
• Don’t fall asleep on the sofa.
• Enjoy a good evening routine: 
  • Don’t do/watch anything stimulating in the evening.
  • Eliminate noise as much as possible.
  • Take an evening meditation bath.
  • Mentally decelerate during your bath. Go straight to bed afterward.
  • Keep a cool room. 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius) is ideal. Less than 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12.5 degrees Celsius) is not good unless you have extra warm bedding.
  • Go to bed between 10 and 11 p.m. or when you are sleepy.
  • Set your alarm for the same time every morning. Aim for 8 hours of sleep. Oversleeping is not good for you either. In a study, obese men and women were put on strict diets to lose weight, and one group was only allowed to sleep 5 1/2 hours. The other group was allowed 8 1/2 hours. Weight loss occurred, but in the people who had less sleep, the weight loss came from muscles, not fat. The other group lost fat and preserved their muscles.
  • Don’t have a clock visible in the bedroom.
  • Banish any screens from the bedroom and put your phone away from your bed, preferably in another room. Blue light from phones, laptops, and televisions can keep you awake because they inhibit melatonin production. Don’t check your phone between 30-60 minutes before you sleep. Turn down the volume and turn off notifications.
  • Say your gratitude prayers.
  • Read an actual book in bed for 20-30 minutes, and tell yourself that you will sleep after you have read the book.
  • You can incorporate some of the exercises below at this time.
  • Consider using an eye/sleep mask. Consider using a fan or white noise machine if the noise is uncontrollable.
  •  If sleep does not come after 20 minutes, don’t lie frustrated in bed, as it will create a connection in your mind. Make a cup of lavender or chamomile herbal tea, sip it, and return to bed. Know that you will sleep.

You may want to check Travel & Jetlag and Unusual Eating Times & Ramadan.

Foods to Favor

• Tryptophan-rich foods like chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, pumpkin, sesame seeds, soy, and tofu.
• Iron, calcium, vitamins B1, B2, B6, and pantothenic acid-rich foods are needed for tryptophan metabolism. Shibata et al., 2015. So, ensure that you are eating grass-fed beef, poultry, seafood, tuna, sardines, shrimp, salmon, eggs, mushrooms, avocados, melon, dried apricots, papayas, oranges, potatoes, dark leafy greens, broccoli, bok choy, spinach, kale, edamame beans, sunflower seeds,  soybeans, coconut yogurt, figs, oranges, and almonds.
• Melatonin-rich foods like eggs, fish, nuts (especially pistachio), mushrooms, seeds, pineapple, orange, banana, cherries, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, mulberries, tomatoes, peppers, and white and black mustard seeds. Sae-Teaw et al., 2013., Oladi et al., 2014., González-Gómez et al., 2009., Stürtz et al., 2011., Zhao et al., 2013.
• Vitamin C-rich foods like strawberries, kiwi, lemon, grapefruit, tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, and small potatoes.
• Magnesium-rich foods like bananas, almonds, cashews, dark chocolate, dark green leafy vegetables, and coconut yogurt.
• Calcium-rich foods like green leafy vegetables like bok choy, spinach and kale, broccoli, soybeans, coconut yogurt, figs, oranges, sardines, salmon, shrimp, and almonds.
• Zinc-rich foods like oysters, crab, and nuts.
• Snack on activated almonds as almonds have been shown to impact the quality of sleep in a study where almonds are taken every day for two weeks. Ghafarzadeh et al. 2019.
• Favor dark chocolate if you want something sweet in the daytime. It has prebiotic effects and antioxidants that are good for your gut microbiota.

Drinks to Favor

• Herbal teas induce relaxation and sedation, like lavender, valerian, and chamomile, especially in the evening. Bethesda 2012., Bethesda 2022.
• Warm water. Keep hydrated.
• Warm coconut milk.
• Almond milk. Almonds have an impact on the quality of sleep. See above.
• Chocolate shake with natural cacao. Studies show that natural cacao benefits insomnia and circadian rhythm sleep disorders induced by psychophysiological stress. Oishi et al., 2020.
• Sour cherry juice at night for increased tryptophan availability, serotonin, and melatonin production, and increased sleep time and efficiency. Losso et al., 2018, Garrido et al., 2010.

Foods to Avoid

• Sugary foods like ice cream, commercial cakes, desserts, and candy.
• Highly saturated fat foods like cheeseburgers and fries.
• Ultra-processed foods like chips, crackers, cookies, etc.
• Simple carbohydrates like bagels, pasta, white bread, and pastries.
• Low-fiber foods like the above.

When you follow Eat Burn Sleep and improve your health, cravings for the above will diminish. As sleep is promoted, you will be less likely to seek out food that doesn’t have any health benefits.

Following Eat Burn Sleep results in a wonderfully positive cycle. 

Drinks to Avoid

• Alcohol.
• Black tea, late in the day.
• Commercial hot chocolate.
• Coffee. If you cannot live without coffee, reduce to one cup in the morning only. Caffeine’s effects last between 5-7 hours. If you have caffeine in the afternoon, this will disrupt your sleep routine. Caffeine will still circulate around your brain; the older you are, the longer it sticks around.
• Sugary drinks.
• Carbonated drinks.

The bioavailability of nutrients in food is much better than taking supplements, but scientific studies support the use of supplements to promote sleep.

• Tryptophan – 1,000-3,000mg daily. Hartmann et al., 1971, Griffiths et al., 1972.
• B6 – 100mg daily. Huang et al., 2013.
• Zinc – 40-80mg daily. Cherasse et al., 2015.
• Magnesium – 500mg daily. Abbasi et al. 2012.
• Melatonin – 2mg slow-release tablet taken 30-120 minutes before bedtime. It can be increased to 6mg. Short-term use (1-4 weeks). Melatonin has been shown to advance sleep and circadian phase in shift workers and delayed sleep phase syndrome.
• Studies on residents in a long-term care facility who were given a combination of melatonin (5mg), magnesium (225mg), and zinc (11.25mg) mixed in 100g pear pulp for 60 days, one hour before bedtime showed a remarkable improvement in sleep quality. Rondanelli et al., 2011.
• Vitamin D – it is vital for plasma levels to be 25 (OH)D levels. Supplement under medical supervision. Have your vitamin D levels tested so that you have the correct dose. Chao et al., 2013.
• 5HTP – 100mg daily – only as a last resort. Sutanto et al., 2021.
• Chamomile extract. 300mg daily. Shinomiya et al., 2005.
• Cherry Night Powder by Viridian. 1 heaped teaspoon contains 1200mg of morello cherry, 450mg of red date extract (Montazeri et al., 2020), and 200mg of magnesium citrate. Check the Yalda Loves page.

Stressing about not sleeping can go against aiding your sleep routine and fuels insomnia. Keep to the sleep hygiene routine above, be positive, and work on the power of visualization. Remember that you are doing all you can to sleep well by being on Eat Burn Sleep.

Morning Mantra – start the day by telling yourself how well you will sleep later, and say it throughout the day.

Meditation – morning and evening. Reducing stress is essential for sleep and for reducing inflammatory conditions. It will improve your mental health and sleep. Take a meditation bath in the evening. If you do not have a bath, soak your feet in warm water with magnesium.

Controlled breathing. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds.

Guided imagery. Visualize calm and pleasant scenes while breathing deeply, imagining the wonderful sleep you are about to have.

Progressive muscle relaxation. Tense your muscles all over the body, and then relax them again. Repeat and do guided imagery, telling yourself how well you will sleep.

As stated, following Eat Burn Sleep will promote sleep and put insomnia into remission. Should there be a need, the following are also stated in regular studies as being effective in sleep efficiency.

Weighted blankets. Like this one. Studies show that they reduce the activity of endogenous stress systems and increase the release of the hormones oxytocin and melatonin, aiding insomnia and anxiety. Meth et al., 2022.

Bright light therapy box. Like this one. Some studies state that using a light box with 10,000 lux of white fluorescent light without ultraviolet wavelengths for 30 minutes early in the morning works for insomnia. Particularly if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The light therapy box is used to synchronize the circadian rhythm. Improvement has been noted in 1-6 weeks.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT-i). It is also helpful in tapering off sleeping pills. Blom et al., 2017.