Dietitian nutritionist Solveig Darrigo-Dartinet details what to eat to get a good night’s sleep.
- Dietitian nutritionist Solveig Darrigo-Dartinet explains how to eat to sleep well.
- The specialist recommends, for example, avoiding an evening meal that is too large and too fatty.
- This time regarding snacks, she recommends favoring dried fruits (prunes, raisins, etc.) and oilseeds (walnuts, almonds, etc.).
“Many factors can disrupt your sleep, whether stress, anxiety, noise, etc. Dietary errors also have an influence on this problem,” explains dietitian nutritionist Solveig Darrigo-Dartinet on the occasion of International Sleep Day this Friday, March 15.
What to eat for dinner and snack to get a good night’s sleep?
The specialist first recommends avoiding an evening meal that is too large and too fatty, because it delays the time you fall asleep. “The stomach will in fact take longer to digest, because of the volume of the food and because the fats stagnate there for longer,” she explains.
It is therefore necessary to limit the quantity of fat at dinner, visible (sauces, cream, etc.) or hidden (cold meats, cheeses, etc.). “Only essential fatty acids (vegetable oils, fish) have a favorable role in sleep: they ensure the flexibility and permeability of cell membranes, particularly of the brain and the nervous system, and guarantee the good circulation of information, which which is essential for relaxation and sleep”, specifies the health professional.
Still regarding the evening meal, a small portion of meat (low fat), fish or egg should be sufficient, because proteins have a stimulating effect on the body.
Regarding snacks this time, Solveig Darrigo-Dartinet recommends favoring dried fruits (prunes, raisins, etc.) and oilseeds (walnuts, almonds, etc.).
What nutrients are good for sleep?
More generally, Solveig Darrigo-Dartinet also lists the nutrients that are good for sleep, namely:
– slow starchy carbohydrates;
– the fruits ;
– tryptophan (present in dairy products, poultry and seafood);
– group B vitamins (present in whole grains and green leafy vegetables such as spinach, chard, etc.);
– magnesium, calcium and copper (present in seeds and dried fruits);
– certain spices (cinnamon, etc.);
– certain herbs and medicinal plants with calming properties (verbena, lemon balm, etc.).
Finally, “even if each individual is more or less sensitive to exciting drinks, it is better to preventively avoid excess coffee and alcohol which tend to keep you awake”, concludes the dietician-nutritionist.
“We spend almost a third of our lives asleep. Memory and learning, metabolism, immunity… even if many hypotheses still need to be confirmed, and others will undoubtedly be formulated, it is perfectly established that sleep is crucial for many biological functions”, recalls Inserm.
