How to support your mood #2: how to stay asleep.

Do you wake up during the night, typically around 3am, with anxiety, a racing heartbeat, trembling, shaking or sweating?

Do you then struggle to get back to sleep, finally managing it just before the alarm goes off? If so, this article is for you.

The biology is complicated, but to cut a long story short:

-        while you are sleeping your brain and body needs fuel which comes from the glucose from your food intake during the day.

-        as you go through the night, and get further from your last meal, the glucose levels become depleted.

-        when this happens, the liver then deploys its reserves of glycogen to keep your brain and body supplied with glucose.

-        BUT if the liver’s glycogen reserves are insufficient to meet the heavy demand, adrenaline is released to trigger processes which protect your brain function by ensuring a continuous supply of fuel.

-        the release of adrenaline is to protect your brain BUT this also wakes you up in the middle of the night, it can provoke feelings of anxiety, possibly a racing heartbeat and/or trembling or shaking. It can be hours before your brain and body calm down sufficiently to allow you to get back to sleep.

So, what do you do?

You must build up your glycogen reserves at mealtimes, so they are there waiting in your liver for when you need them.

How?

One of my favourite examples of the protein + healthy fat + fibre formula.

Look at my Stories Highlight on Instagram called “Eat for Energy” for many more examples.

1.      By applying the protein + healthy fat + fibre formula when you put every plate of food together.

2.      Not missing meals.

3.      Experimenting with a healthy fat snack before bedtime (e.g. a tablespoon of almond butter).

If you would like to learn more about how, when and what to eat to support your sleep and therefore your mood, please do book a free Zoom call with me and we can talk about working together.

Sources:

Verberne, A.J.M., Sabetghadam, A. and Korim, W.S. (2014) “Neural pathways that control the glucose counterregulatory response”, Frontiers in Neuroscience, 8:38.

Weng, N. et. al. (2019) “Abnormal nocturnal behaviour due to hypoglcyemia”, Medicine (Baltimore), 98(6): e14405.