Three is almost never the magic number when it comes to sleep, despite what some presidential candidates, politicians and history’s so-called short sleepers would like us to believe. Only one to three per cent of the population have a short sleep gene which means they only need about 5-6 hours of sleep. Population studies show most adults need 7-9 hours (which is the agreed upon average). And a similar tiny percentage of people have a long sleep gene and need 8-10 hours of sleep.
Sleep researchers have found out that our sleep need is physiological and largely determined by genetics, so if your mother/father needed eight hours’ sleep then chances are you will need that amount as well—and if you need eight hours then cutting back on sleep will just result in health, performance, and cognitive deficits.
Some people are true short sleepers and then there are people who actually need 7-9 hours of sleep but force themselves to get by on less, which is much more common to encounter. And that leads to sleep deprivation. The signs of sleep deprivation are easy to spot. If it’s only mid-afternoon and you are finding it difficult to stay awake in a meeting or a comfortable chair; if your eyelids are closing, you are yawning and you’re fighting it—then you’re sleep deprived. And the remedy for that is not coffee, but a relaxed night of sleep!
Apart of a dip in performance and cognitive function, sleep deprivation also makes us more likely to succumb to cold and flu infections. This is because our immune system fires up during sleep and effectively rids our body of any virally infected or cancerous cells and if we aren’t getting the sleep we need the body cannot do this effectively. We are prone to be more irritable and impatient, more stressed, and more prone to mood swings due to lack of sleep. The risk of obesity increases by 50% and the odds of developing cardiovascular disease and metabolic disease such as Type 2 Diabetes are also much greater.
We need to remember that sleep is vital to our physical and mental health. It nourishes us and repairs and restores our body. It allows us to meet the demands, challenges and joys of our day, and if we feel, more often than not, that we are not able to do this, then we need to look to our sleep.
Okay, so sleep deprivation is bad. I get it. But what can I do if I just can’t sleep?
Melatonin – your obsessive best friend on Monday mornings, late work evenings, and weekend afternoons – is the hormone that plays cupid between you and the snooze button. Not only does it induce sleep, it also plays an important role in your sleep duration. And because sleep is the first step towards a healthy lifestyle (often underestimated), you need foods that boost your melatonin level, which is probably already out of gear, given the erratic lifestyle students on most college campuses have.
Here is a list of 5 superfoods that will help you sleep better:
Milk/Yoghurt: Milk and curds are good sources of amino acid tryptophan. Calcium in dairy helps the brain to use tryptophan, and produce melatonin.
Banana: Apart from being rich sources of tryptophan, bananas are also rich in calcium and potassium that helps in relaxation.
Fish: Fish like tuna and halibut are full of vitamin B6, which helps in production of melatonin. Adding garlic and lettuce to the salad along with tuna also induces sleep, as lettuce has lactucarium which acts as a sedative.
Rice: Rice has a high glycemic index which helps in slashing the time to get sleep. A study in Japan also stated that consumption of high glycemic food like rice promotes good quality sleep.
Eggs: Eggs are rich source of tryptophan. But when tryptophan foods are had along with carbohydrates like rice, the conversion to melatonin is even better. Hence, have a meal that includes eggs and a helping of rice for better sleep.
Now make sure to include these in your dinner to have a restful night!
