Moody Guide To Sleep

Tell us more about Leptin?

Leptin is secreted by the fat cells found in our thighs, bums and waist and tells our brain how much fat we are storing. Leptin also influences the behaviour of your thyroid, adrenal, pancreatic and sex hormones, so getting a good nights sleep can mean that your whole hormone system functions at its best. But in terms of leptin's influence on weight, once the brain registers the stored levels, it can decide weather or not to turn up your metabolic rate. If you don’t get a good nights sleep, leptin isn’t released properly, doesn’t communicate with the brain accurately and can lead to lower fat burning and that dreaded belly fat that seems so hard to shift. 

Are there any other factors that influence leptin release?

So sleep is a must for those struggling to loose weight, but this hormonal process only works if you don’t eat too late and are calm and relaxed prior to going to bed. Eating too late at night raises your blood glucose levels and raises your adrenaline levels which prevents you falling into that deep sleep that leptin needs for it to be released optimally. Stress or hyperactivity before bed such as exercise, also causes adrenaline to be released and that will slow down leptin fat burning work at night.

What other factors can lack of sleep do?

Lack of sleep can interfere with our thyroid function – the gland that regulates almost every process in your body including your metabolic rate and how we make energy. Cravings can happen when we are tired, as our bodies look for instant sources of energy to keep us going, which after a poor nights sleep, can often mean that we are reaching for those fatty, carbohydrates like croissants, sweeter cereals, milky coffees and fried foods to give us that much needed energy boost.

What about mood and sleep?

Poor sleep and lower leptin release can mean lower serotonin levels – our happy hormone - which can cause low mood, anxiety and depression. For lots of women, feeling low and lethargic can lead to overeating and skipping that spin class, which adds another good reason for getting more sleep.

So sleep – that essential rest time is fundamental part of your plan to help you to reach your weight goals, get better brain-sharp work performance and for generally feeling more your badass self. But we are all different and sleep can come easy for some and be a frustrating obstacle for others. Following a Sleep Hygiene plan can be what you might need to break some of those barriers to getting to off to sleep. 

What about diet and sleep?

Good nutrition can work wonders for troubled sleepers. Removing stimulants such as, cola, black tea, caffeine, alcohol and sugary foods before bed will reduce your cortisol (stress hormone) and help you sleep better and eating sleep enhancing and hormone boosting foods can be a real tonic.

5 Sleep Enhancing Foods

By Lola Ross, BANT and CNHC registered nutritionist

Oats

The gluten-free grain contains the amino acid tryptophan - the precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin and melatonin, our sleep regulators. You can also find tryptophan in useful amounts in cashews and sunflower seeds, so add a sprinkle to your overnight oats, porridge or in an oat-based crumble mix.

Cheddar Cheese (or other hard cheeses)

Yes cheese lovers - a small matchbox sized amount of hard cheese like cheddar can contain up to 210mg of calcium (RNI 700mg for women) and calcium helps the body to use tryptophan. Vegans can swap cheese for almonds or dark green veg as a good source of calcium.

Lentils

Lentils contain loads of magnesium, which is known as a relaxant and can aid sleep. Most of us are magnesium deficient due to factors like poor diet or eating produce that is not magnesium rich due to depleted crop soils. Increase your levels with a magnesium-packed lentil dhal and serving of magnesium-rich dark green leafy vegetables. For an added magnesium boost try the Moody favourite magnesium salt bath soak for 30 minutes.

Bananas

This easy on-the-go snack contains plenty of hormone gland supporting potassium. Potassium helps hormones to signal well to each other so a great after dinner snack for sleep support.

Oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel, whitebait, trout, tinned sardines & pilchards)

Keeping hormones healthy is essential in helping sleep hormones do their job best. The EPA/DHA omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish are super important in the health of our hormones and help them to communicate with each other. A few servings of oily fish a week may help to get your sleep hormones in better balance.

Additional supportive supplements

For insomnia try melatonin support Viridian Cherry Night Powder

For serotonin support try Nutri 5 - HTP

For blood sugar stablising + reducing night time snacking try Wild Nutrition Food Grown GTF Chromium & Antioxidants

For wakefulness or restlessness during the night try melatonin supporting Viridian-Organic Valerian Root