What is the effect of fasting and its benefits on sleep?

What is the effect of fasting and its benefits on sleep?

Fasting and eating meals at specific times helps improve energy levels and digestion and increases the feeling of fullness for longer periods while enhancing the immune response, according to a report published by Mind Your Body Green.

Professor Ashley Jordan Ferreira, celebrity nutritionist, points to well-known research that finds that eating meals in a consistent daily time frame is associated with better sleep and an overall healthier quality of life. Ferreira explains, “Eating at specific times each day supports a healthy weight and helps control blood sugar levels.

Ferreira explains that sticking to a period of 12 hours a day to refrain from eating is more realistic for most people, as it supports the biological clock in the human body, stressing that by doing activities such as eating, exercising and exposure to light at about the same times every day, a person allows Once this point is reached, it becomes easier to fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day, which positively affects sleep quality and overall health.

Chronological Biology

Neuroscientist and sleep expert Professor Sophia Axelrod says: “From a chronological biology perspective, it appears that regularity at clearly defined times when eating, and when a person is fasting, is important to promote a healthy metabolism and good sleep, which means fewer meals, and over a shorter period of time. “.

Axelrod adds that eating full meals within set time intervals can also help reduce the random intake of nonessential meals throughout the day, a dietary pattern that negatively impacts the timing and quality of sleep.

healthy food options

Peter Paulus, a sleep medicine specialist, recommends avoiding any meals that are high in fat or refined carbohydrates, saying that “there is data to suggest that diets high in carbohydrates contribute to drowsiness but lead to interrupted sleep where the metabolism takes place. for carbohydrates.” He also advises avoiding "foods rich in fat, as they can also affect sleep quality."

Polos says that Mediterranean-inspired diets that are high in protein, fiber, fruits and vegetables, and anti-inflammatory nutrients tend to be associated with better sleep quality. Disruption of the circadian rhythm. Experts agree that you should stop eating at the same time every night, preferably about three hours before bed, to give the body plenty of time to digest before bed.