Nearly 1 billion people worldwide have sleep apnea, yet it’s not often thought of as a serious condition and rather pushed aside. Sleep apnea alone may not impact you much right now, but the long-term symptoms and side effects of this condition may cause serious health issues. One of the smallest things you can do to help your sleep and overall health is to alter your diet to exclude foods that are bad and replace them with foods that will promote good health and a good night’s sleep. Here we will talk about the dos and don’ts of eating when you have sleep apnea.
What To Eat
When you have sleep apnea, something you may not think of changing right away are your eating habits, but they actually have a large impact on your sleep whether you have sleep apnea or not. These are some nutritious foods that promote a good night’s sleep and will help improve your overall health to keep you on the right track.
- Almonds: These nuts are a great source of a sleep-regulating hormone known as melatonin. They also have many other great benefits and can lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease.
- Tart Cherry Juice: This is one of the best sources for melatonin and has been known to boost your sleep for 1-2 hours depending on the frequency and amount taken.
- Cheese: This protein-rich food contains tryptophan, an amino acid that can induce drowsiness allowing you to fall asleep faster.
What Not To Eat
- Chocolate: This sweet treat is packed with sugar and also has caffeine, so it has a double whammy effect when it comes to ingredients that keep you from getting your sleep.
- Chicken: Any meats that are high in protein take a while to digest which could keep you awake, but chicken also contains an amino acid known as tyrosine, which promotes brain activity.
- Coffee, Soda or Alcohol: These popular drinks might be what sounds good late at night, but you want to make sure to avoid drinking them if you want to improve your health and your sleep. Between the large amount of caffeine that soda and coffee contain, and the effects alcohol has on your sleep, you will want to stick to water or milk before bed.
The list for both what to and what not to eat can go on and on but these are great starting points! If you are having trouble sleeping and counting sheep and avoiding sweets isn’t working, don’t hesitate to reach out to Advanced Respiratory Care Network for help!