Catching Zs: How to Fulfill the Seemingly Impossible 8 Hour Recommendation

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It's that time of the semester once again. We're nearly in the home stretch and everyone's excited for Thanksgiving, but the threat of finals almost immediately after the holiday break looms on the horizon. Though we're just about done, it's a very busy time for us interns. It always feels like there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done, including a good night's sleep.

It's no secret that stress is a number one reason why people can't seem to get the recommended 8 hours a night, and stress is one thing that dietetic interns and grad students are full of. Luckily, as interns we know the many wondrous effects that food can have on our bodies, and helping us get restful sleep is no exception. Here are some foods and drinks to consider if you're looking for natural ways to help you sleep better!

- Dark leafy greens: Some research suggests that calcium, potassium, and magnesium work together to regulate the sleep/wake cycle and may help with melatonin production (AKA the sleep hormone). Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale have all three of these. Having a leafy green salad with dinner can help you get better sleep that night.
- Milk: Turns out, everything people said about a warm cup of milk before bed isn't too far off! Milk is a great source of calcium and magnesium, which can both help regulate your sleep cycle. It is also a good natural source of melatonin. 
- Almonds: These nuts are a natural source of melatonin as well as a good source of calcium, which can help regulate sleep. 
- Tart cherry juice: This is one of the best natural sources of melatonin and has been recommended as a nighttime drink for better sleep. See below for a fun recipe that uses tart cherry juice!

The aptly named "Sleepy Girl Mocktail" has been taking over TikTok in the last couple years. This drink is so easy to make, and I can confirm it is very tasty (and no, you do not have to be a girl to enjoy)!


Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup tart cherry juice
- 1 tablespoon magnesium powder
- A bit of a prebiotic soda, sparkling water, or other fizzy drink (I like using cherry limeade flavored Poppi or Sparkling Ice!)
- Optional: a few ice cubes

Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in your favorite wine or mocktail glass (or a regular cup if you just can't be bothered at this time of night) and stir together
- Drink before bed

Whether you're a student, intern, or faculty member that's in need of some better sleep, hopefully these tips can help you "catch some Zs" as we wrap up this fall semester!

GM

References:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/sleep/8-reasons-why-youre-not-sleeping
https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0223p34.shtml
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/sleepy-girl-mocktail

Comments

  1. Leah LisleNovember 11, 2024 at 6:35 PM

    I like the inclusion of tart cherry juice! Its super interesting how its tied to melatonin production as well as helping exercise recovery.

    ReplyDelete
  2. McKenna PetersDecember 6, 2024 at 10:51 AM

    Some of the food and drink options I never stopped to think about how they can help with sleep so thank you! I will for sure be trying some of these :)

    ReplyDelete

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