Sleep is more important for your health and overall wellbeing than you might think. While we’ve all experienced sleepless nights, and considered them a natural product of being a working adult, the effects can sometimes go beyond a specific period of stress or pressure.
Recurrent sleep deprivation can actually lead to higher risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. If you want some help with achieving more restful nights and hope to improve your body’s natural cycles in more ways than one, then taking certain superfoods for better sleep is a great natural way for you to achieve better sleep.
Ashwagandha
The most famous superfood known for improving your quality of sleep is Ashwagandha. This is down to its ability to help you deal with stressors in your life. As stress and anxiety are often the main cause for sleepless nights, combatting the root cause often leads to more productive recovery periods.
This adaptogenic herb contains various health properties that help the body fight against stress and fatigue, by harmonising the body’s overall balance and making it more effective at dealing with the stressors you may face.
Essentially, cortisol, the body’s stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands can overload the body’s system when faced with challenges or pressure. While stress can be extremely necessary and useful when it is harnessed in the right way, too much of this in your system can cause high levels of frustration and anxiety.
What Ashwagandha does so effectively is help the body cope with the levels of cortisol being produced.
According to one study on subjects with a history of chronic stress, Ashwagandha root extract, when consumed over a 60 day period, significantly reduced levels of stress on all the stress-assessment scales.
Turmeric
Turmeric is another powerful superfood that reduces stress and offers a better chance of getting a good night’s sleep.
The naturally occurring compound within Turmeric is Curcumin. According to studies it has been linked with reduction in sleep deprivation and within many cultures is regarded as an effective calming ingredient.
Curcumin was also found to enhance the synthesis of omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), according to a study by the UCLA Brain Injury Research Centre, which many believe is effective at sustaining cognitive abilities and avoiding disorders such as anxiety.
Ginger
Although less powerful than the previously mentioned superfoods in directly combating stress and alleviating sleepless nights, Ginger can be a great night time tea to help your relax before heading to bed. As a caffeine free drink with plenty of flavour it can be included in your daily routine with ease.
It is also effective at treating nausea and dizziness, so if these are the cause of your lack of sleep then it will certainly go a long way in clearing your head before you lay it down to rest.
Similarly, as Ginger can help reduce pain as well as digestive problems by relaxing the intestines, these potential causes of sleep deprivation can be combated with a hot ginger tea before you sleep.
A healthy mind
As you’ve probably realised, quality of sleep is intricately connected with your state of mind and overall health. Whether it’s using some of our suggested superfood supplements such as Ashwagandha, Turmeric or Ginger to improve the quality of your sleep, or whether you need some major changes to your lifestyle to minimise stress and anxiety, don't underestimate the role effective sleep plays in your general health and wellbeing.