Chapter 5 - Sleep Disturbances: How Diet Can Affect Sleep Patterns

Chapter 5 - Sleep Disturbances: How Diet Can Affect Sleep Patterns

Many people struggle with poor sleep quality and wakefulness throughout the night after a cancer diagnosis. Let's explore how our diet can influence the quality of our sleep.

The Gut-Brain-Sleep Connection

Firstly, our gut microbiome influences sleep through the gut-brain axis, a two-way communication pathway between the brain and the gut.

• Lack of sleep can lead to imbalances in our gut bacteria
• Sleep disorders often come with changes in the gut microbiome

This connection highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy gut for better sleep.

Mediterranean Diet and Omega-3s

The Mediterranean diet, rich in plant-based foods, antioxidants, and fibre, is linked to better sleep quality. Besides plants, omega-3 fatty acids found in:

• Fatty fish
• Walnuts
• Flaxseeds
• Hemp
• Chia seeds
  

These important fats support brain health, reduce inflammation, and improve sleep quality. They are also crucial for maintaining a healthy nervous system and can be a valuable addition to a sleep-supportive diet.

Vitamin D and Sleep

Low levels of vitamin D may impact sleep quality.

While the relationship between sleep disturbances and vitamin D deficiency is not fully understood, improving your vitamin D levels can benefit many areas of your health.

Protein and Sleep Quality

It’s also important to have adequate protein in the diet. Not enough could impact sleep quality, whilst too much could lead to difficulties in staying asleep.

Protein-rich foods containing tryptophan, like meats, cheese, wheat, oats, tofu and beans, nuts and seeds, help promote better sleep by aiding in the production of serotonin and melatonin, which regulate our sleep cycles.

Try incorporating some of these foods into your dinner regularly for potential sleep benefits.

The Impact of Processed Foods

Processed foods high in added sugars and unhealthy fats can disrupt sleep by:

• Affecting blood sugar levels

• Disrupting the body's natural sleep processes

These foods can cause energy spikes and crashes, making it harder to maintain a steady sleep pattern. Limiting sugary foods before bedtime can increase your chances of a good night's sleep.

Timing of Meals

Besides what we eat, when we eat also makes a difference.

Eating too close to bedtime can lead to discomfort and interfere with your ability to fall asleep.

Aim for a 3-4 hour gap between your last meal and bedtime to aid digestion and ensure a more comfortable sleep.

Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeine is a known stimulant, and while it affects everyone differently, it can stay in your system for as much as 10 hours.

• If you’re experiencing sleep disturbances, try to limit your caffeine intake to around midday to minimise its impact on falling asleep and overall sleep quality.

Alcohol can also impact your sleep quality, even in small amounts.

• While alcohol might make you feel sleepy, it can disrupt your sleep cycle later in the night.

• For better sleep, and in line with World Cancer Research Fund recommendations, consider reducing your intake or exploring alcohol-free alternatives.

In Summary

As you can see, our dietary choices can significantly impact our sleep patterns and overall sleep quality.

By including sleep-supportive foods and drinks, and by being mindful of when we eat, we can improve our sleep patterns and enjoy restful nights.