Why You’re Finding It Hard to Sleep & What You Can Do About It

We all know how ragingly remarkable we can feel after a great night’s sleep – waking up with the invincible feeling that we can face the world with dynamic optimism, high energy and ease. Similarly, not getting enough sleep, or having trouble falling and staying asleep, leads to a sequence of exhaustion, lack of focus, a jangled nervous system, sluggish metabolism and weaker organ function. Sleep problems can be related to several factors, but the answer often lies in your plate. Getting the right vitamins, minerals and nutrients in your diet and/or supplements can easily overturn the problem and bring you back to a state of well rested balance. The question is, which ones may you be lacking and need more of?

Top 3 Minerals Essential for Good Sleep

#1 Sleep-Aid: Magnesium
As it has been shown to affect hundreds of mechanisms in the body including blood sugar, muscle function, building proteins, regulating blood sugars and blood pressure and keeping joints healthy, there’s a good reason why magnesium has been touted as a wonder-mineral. When it comes to sleep, magnesium has been shown to help regulate the circadian rhythm and sleep cycles. It supports GABA, which is the primary relaxing neurotransmitter. It also affects monoamine neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin by helping them connect to their receptor sites. To include more magnesium in your diet, you can opt for some of the folhttps://biostarks.com/how-to-bring-balance-back-into-your-demanding-life/lowing foods: nuts, especially peanuts, seeds, chickpeas, green, leafy vegetables, whole milk, yoghurt, mushrooms and cereals.

#2 Potassium
This mineral has been shown to affect the duration of your sleep and works with magnesium and calcium to balance sleep/wake patterns. A lack of potassium degenerates nerve activity, affecting the most important mechanisms for getting a good night’s sleep. To include potassium in your diet, you could for example eat more bananas, legumes, animal protein (especially beef), nuts (cashews and almonds) and seeds (pumpkin), dried fruit like apricots, dates and prunes, lentils and fatty fish like salmon.

#3 Zinc
Like magnesium, zinc inhibits the excitatory NDMA receptor and is shown to lengthen sleep duration. Also, much like magnesium, it is necessary for hundreds of functions in the body and brain. To include more zinc  in your diet, some examples of foods high in zinc are eat animal protein (beef, chicken and lamb), seeds (pumpkin and hemp), pulses (chickpeas and lentils), yoghurt or kefir, spinach, avocado, mushrooms and nuts (cashews and almonds).

Top 3 Vitamins Essential for Improving Sleep

#1 Sleep-Aid: D3

Vitamin D is best buddies with magnesium and calcium, which it helps function by boosting serotonin and melatonin (a hormone that helps create the feeling of sleepiness) production. Naturally obtained by exposure to natural sunlight (20 minutes minimum), Vitamin D has been shown to also strengthen the immune system and regulate the nervous system. As various parts of the brain have Vitamin D receptor sites, getting the right amount can significantly help. Foods high in Vitamin D3 are fatty fish such as salmon and sardines, egg yolks, mushrooms and beef liver.

# B6 & B12
The B vitamins are often recommended by doctors for helping to alleviate nervous system imbalances such as lack of focus, lethargy, anxiety and depression. B6 aids the body to absorb tryptophan and transforms it into serotonin . To include B6-rich foods in your diet, eat more bananas, chickpeas, carrots, whole grains and spinach, legumes (e.g. lentils, chickpeas), bananas, avocados, brussels sprouts, whole-grain cereals. B12 has also been shown to have major mood-lifting and nervous system-soothing effects, while supporting your circadian rhythm and leading to better sleep patterns. Vegetarians and vegans are at higher risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency since this vitamin is mainly found in animal products. After talking to a healthcare professional, it might be recommended to take a B12-supplement. Foods rich in vitamin B12 include organ meat, seafood (e.g. octopus, oyster, mussel, clams), fish (e.g. mackerel, salmon), meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products and nutritional yeast.

# C
C is for Celebrity when it comes to the vitamin world, as this vital antioxidant majorly supports the immune system, collagen production, adrenal function and a healthier heart. Sleep quality and duration have been shown to be aided by daily intake of vitamin C, mostly because of its antioxidative effects. Unlike other vitamins, C is safe to take in higher doses as a supplement, and foods like kiwis, strawberries, lemon, grapefruit, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, red bell peppers and tomatoes are great C-high foods to include in your daily diet. Notice that vitamin C is very sensitive to heat (e.g. cooking). Also, vitamin C-rich foods should not be stored for a long time as it can reduce their vitamin C content.

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