Latest news with #EsraTasali
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Discover Startling Trick to Defeat Insomnia
Insomnia is a curse we wouldn't wish on our worst enemy — and scientists have discovered a startlingly simple lifestyle change that appears to be very statistically effective at preventing it. In a new study published in the journal Sleep Health, researchers from Columbia and the University of Chicago report that eating a full day's serving worth of fruits and vegetables strongly appears to help people sleep more soundly throughout the night. Interrupted sleep, which is known as "sleep fragmentation" to researchers, has been found to induce a litany of grim health outcomes ranging from heart failure to diabetes and cognitive problems to cognitive dysfunction. One major culprit might be a familiar one to many participants in our industrial food system: poor nutrition lacking in fresh fruits and veggies. The researchers recruited 34 healthy young adults with an average age of 28 years old who had no known sleep issues before. The participants were tasked with tagging their food input into an app for 201 days, and wore wrist monitors that tracked their sleep throughout. After analyzing the data from the app and wrist monitors with statistical modeling, the researchers found that sleep quality can improve up to a staggering 16 percent after eating five cups of fruit and vegetables — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's definition of a full day's serving — as compared to a diet that lacks produce. What's more, the effects were effectively instantaneous: sleep improvements took place the very same nights that participants reported eating lots of fruits and vegetables. "It's remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours," explained UChicago sleep expert Esra Tasali said in the school's press release. Though 16 percent may not seem like much, Tasali characterized it as a "highly significant difference." It's possible, per Columbia's statement on the study, that the amino acid tryptophan — the same one cited in anecdata about getting sleepy post-Thanksgiving turkey — might be responsible. Fruits and vegetables contain carbohydrates that help the brain absorb tryptophan, Columbia explains, which in turn helps aid the production of the sleepy hormone melatonin. Though you can purchase synthetic melatonin supplements at the store, it's tastier and healthier to get your brain to produce it for you by eating produce. Five cups may seem a bit daunting, but the researchers insist that eating more fruits and vegetables in general can help you sleep better even if you don't reach that full serving. "People are always asking me if there are things they can eat that will help them sleep better," author Marie-Pierre St-Onge, the director of Columbia's sleep center, said in the school's press release. "Small changes can impact sleep. That is empowering — better rest is within your control." More on sleep: You Can See When Elon Musk Actually Sleeps by Analyzing His Tweets, and It's Terrifying
The Sun
7 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
The ‘remarkable' diet that could cure insomnia in just 24 hours, say scientists
SCIENTISTS have discovered eating a certain type of food during the daytime could lead to a "meaningful change" when it comes to insomnia - with results apparent within a day. Getting enough sleep is crucial for overall health, boosting heart health, memory and mood regulation. 2 People who regularly experience poor sleep tend to lean towards an unhealthier lifestyle, opting for diets higher in fat and sugar, studies show. This can lead to a whole host of negative health consequences, including heart attack and stroke. But far less is known about how diet can affect sleep patterns, according to researchers from Columbia and the University of Chicago. In a new study, published in the journal Sleep Health, shifting from a lifestyle of eating no fruits to one including five cups of fruit a day could be key to a good night's rest. The findings are said to be the first to draw a time-based connection between a person's food choices in the day and sleep quality at night. "It's remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours," said sleep expert Esra Tasali, a co-author of the new study. " Dietary modifications could be a new, natural and cost-effective approach to achieve better sleep," Dr Tasali added. The study involved healthy young adults who reported their daily food consumption using an app. They also wore a wrist monitor to allow the researchers to measure their sleep patterns. The researchers specifically focused on "sleep fragmentation" - a measure of how often a person wakes or shifts from deep to light sleep in the night. I'm a fitness guru and learnt the military technique on how to get to sleep in under two minutes and it's so easy They found each day's diet linked to "meaningful differences" in the night's sleep that followed. Participants who ate more fruits and vegetables during the day enjoyed deeper, more interrupted sleep at night. Those who opted for healthier carbohydrates, like whole grains, also displayed better sleep. In their overall findings, researchers found people who eat five cups of fruits and vegetables per day could experience a 16 per cent boost in sleep quality compared to those who ate no fruit and veg. '16 per cent is a highly significant difference,' Dr Tasali said. The scientists concluded regularly eating a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, fruit, and vegetables is best for long-term sleep health. 'Small changes can impact sleep. That is empowering – better rest is within your control,' said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, another author of the study. Signs of insomnia and other ways to treat it INSOMNIA means you regularly have problems sleeping. You have insomnia if you regularly: find it hard to go to sleep wake up several times during the night lie awake at night wake up early and cannot go back to sleep still feel tired after waking up find it hard to nap during the day even though you're tired feel tired and irritable during the day find it difficult to concentrate during the day because you're tired The most common causes are: stress, anxiety or depression noise a room that's too hot or cold uncomfortable beds alcohol, caffeine or nicotine illegal drugs like cocaine or ecstasy jet lag shift work Insomnia usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, and relaxing at least one hour before bed, for example, take a bath or read a book. Make sure your bedroom is dark and quiet, exercise regularly during the day, and make sure your mattress, pillow and covers are comfortable. Avoid the following: do not smoke or drink alcohol, tea or coffee at least six hours before going to bed do not eat a big meal late at night do not exercise at least four hours before bed do not watch television or use devices, like smartphones, right before going to bed, because the blue light makes you more awake do not nap during the day do not drive when you feel sleepy do not sleep in after a bad night's sleep and stick to your regular sleeping hours instead You can buy tablets or liquids (sometimes called sleeping aids) from a pharmacy that may help you sleep better. But if you find nothing is helping your insomnia, see your GP. Source: NHS
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Scientists find ‘remarkable' diet to defeat insomnia within 24 hours
Eating the daily recommended quantity of fruits during daytime can lead to 'meaningful change' against insomnia within just a day, a new study suggests. Sleep fragmentation can have far-reaching consequences, including negative effects on heart health, memory, learning, and mood regulation. Poor sleep may also cause people to gravitate towards an unhealthier lifestyle, leaning on diets higher in fat and sugar, studies have shown. However, far less is known about how diet can affect sleep patterns, say researchers from Columbia and the University of Chicago. The latest study, published in the journal Sleep Health, showed that shifting from a lifestyle of eating no fruits to one including five cups a day can induce sound sleep at night. Its findings are the first to draw a time-based connection between a given day's food choices and objectively measured sleep quality that same night. "It's remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours," said sleep expert Esra Tasali, a co-author of the new study. 'Dietary modifications could be a new, natural and cost-effective approach to achieve better sleep,' Dr Tasali said. The study included healthy young adults who reported their daily food consumption using an app and wore a wrist monitor that allowed the researchers to objectively measure their sleep patterns. Scientists specifically looked at 'sleep fragmentation,' a measure that reflects how often a person awakens or shifts from deep to light sleep throughout the night. Researchers found that each day's diet was linked to 'meaningful differences' in the subsequent night's sleep. Those who ate more fruits and vegetables during the day were observed to have deeper, more uninterrupted sleep at night. Participants who ate healthier carbohydrates, like whole grains, also seemed to have better sleep, scientists observed. Overall, researchers estimated that people who eat their recommended quota of five cups of fruits and veggies per day could experience a 16 per cent boost in sleep quality compared to those who consume no fruits or vegetables. '16 per cent is a highly significant difference,' Dr Tasali said. Scientists hope to conduct further research across diverse populations to examine the underlying mechanisms that could explain the positive impact of fruits and vegetables on sleep quality. Based on the latest results, they advise that regularly eating a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables is best for long-term sleep health. 'Small changes can impact sleep. That is empowering – better rest is within your control,' said Marie-Pierre St-Onge, another author of the study.
