Regulate your body clock with food and achieve an optimal sleep cycle.
We are what we eat, and sleep, supported by hormones produced only during sleep, is an essential source of energy for life. Why not wisely choose foods that promote a stable sleep cycle and improve sleep quality, and enjoy a happier life from the cellular level?
If you've been feeling like you can't sleep well lately, it's better to know which foods produce hormones that improve sleep quality!
Serotonin and melatonin are the main hormones secreted by the brain during sleep. Melatonin is known as the "sleep hormone," and serotonin, also known as the "happiness hormone," increases its secretion. When these two hormones work synergistically, they lead to good quality sleep. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, is the raw material for serotonin. Since it cannot be produced in the body, it must be obtained through diet.
In other words, by consuming plenty of tryptophan from good quality foods, more serotonin is produced, which brings about feelings of satisfaction, mental stability, and a virtuous cycle that increases the secretion of melatonin, which improves sleep quality.
Foods rich in tryptophan are generally those high in protein. These include fish, meat, eggs, bananas, dairy products, natto, brown rice, almonds, mushrooms, and seaweeds. By incorporating these into your daily diet in a balanced way, you can achieve high-quality sleep.
If you've been feeling irritable lately, foods that regulate your body clock might be the key!
GABA is a type of natural amino acid that has a relaxing effect on the body and has been confirmed to aid in restful sleep and lower blood pressure. Our bodies have a mechanism called the biological clock (circadian rhythm), which controls the circadian rhythm (daily fluctuations in the internal environment), such as hormone secretion, metabolism, and sleep rhythm. Recent research by Nagoya University has revealed that "GABA"-positive nerve cells influence the output of this circadian rhythm. The role of GABA in sleep will likely be further elucidated in the future. Foods rich in GABA include tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, eggplants, sprouted brown rice, and some fermented foods like kimchi and pickles. If you're feeling stressed, try GABA foods. Recently, chocolates containing GABA have also become available, making it easy to consume.
If you feel tired even though you're sleeping enough... Foods that hold the key to deeper, more stable sleep!
Glycine is an essential amino acid produced in our bodies. It has been found to improve sleep quality by lowering the core body temperature at sleep onset, allowing for faster entry into deep sleep, and by making deeper sleep more stable. In the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a globally used measure for assessing sleep quality, it was found that after glycine intake, sleep efficiency, satisfaction with sleep, and next-day sleepiness all improved. Glycine is abundant in seafood such as shrimp, scallops, squid, crab, and swordfish, and is also plentiful in legumes among plant-based foods.
According to research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the diversity of daily food intake plays an important role in determining the sleep cycle. Eat wisely and get good quality sleep.
