What to eat (and when to eat) if you have chronic insomnia

YouTube Video VVVMNUxzTFVlVkEyal9Wc2w1NjI1c2hRLlZuT0JEdzRmbnRR

Spoiler alert: It doesn't matter what you eat or when you eat because what you eat or when you eat doesn't lead to (or perpetuate) chronic insomnia.<br /><br />When we try to change our diet or alter when we eat in an attempt to improve our sleep, we actually make sleep more difficult. That's because when we introduce "sleep efforts" we then monitor for the result of that effort — did this latest experiment help us sleep or not? <br /><br />Related video: As soon as you put effort into sleep, you make sleep more difficult: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcBxvuVcj-8<br /><br />Self-monitoring, by itself, makes sleep more difficult because the mind has to stay active in order to monitor for results. If we do fall asleep, we might feel great that our experiment "worked" (except it didn't because the only thing that generates sleep is our own internal sleep system). <br /><br />If the experiment doesn't work we can easily become worried and start searching for the next experiment or ritual — and all this time spent thinking and researching sleep makes sleep more difficult!<br /><br />Related videos: <br /><br />Sleep rituals are rarely a good idea — especially if you live with chronic insomnia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VoyybMMjN8<br /><br />Constant change and endless sleep experiments are mentally exhausting and make sleep more difficult: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRcI2zcFJU4<br /><br />Here's a quick Q&A for clarity:<br /><br />Q: What are the best foods for sleep?<br />A: A healthy, balanced diet is good for you and your sleep.<br /><br />Q: When is the best time to eat for sleep?<br />A: When you are hungry.<br /><br />The only time food *might* influence sleep is:<br /><br />1. If you eat a huge meal a few minutes before going to bed — if you do this and notice indigestion keeping you awake, then you know from experience that might not be something to repeat in the future.<br /><br />2. If you are out of bed implementing stimulus control during the night, it might be a good idea not to eat — because eating is a wakefulness cue for the body clock.<br /><br />With these two caveats out of the way, I hope I have convinced you that what you eat (and when you eat) is not going to influence your sleep in any meaningful way — so it's one less thing to worry about!<br /><br />▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel (and be sure to click the notification bell afterward so you don't miss any videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5LsLUeVA2j_Vsl5625shQ?sub_confirmation=1<br /><br />My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching services that give people with insomnia all the skills and support they need to enjoy better sleep for the rest of their lives. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for people with insomnia at https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube061819<br /><br />You can also find me here:<br /><br />Website: https://insomniacoach.com<br />Twitter: https://twitter.com/insomniacoach<br />Facebook: https://facebook.com/insomniacoach<br />Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinsomniacoach/<br /><br />All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube channel is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or medical treatment and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or other licensed healthcare provider. All content is provided as is, and without warranties.<br /><br />#insomnia<br />#sleep<br />#diet

Insomnia Coach 1.6K views June 18, 2019 6:39 pm

Spoiler alert: It doesn’t matter what you eat or when you eat because what you eat or when you eat doesn’t lead to (or perpetuate) chronic insomnia.

When we try to change our diet or alter when we eat in an attempt to improve our sleep, we actually make sleep more difficult. That’s because when we introduce “sleep efforts” we then monitor for the result of that effort — did this latest experiment help us sleep or not?

Related video: As soon as you put effort into sleep, you make sleep more difficult: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcBxvuVcj-8

Self-monitoring, by itself, makes sleep more difficult because the mind has to stay active in order to monitor for results. If we do fall asleep, we might feel great that our experiment “worked” (except it didn’t because the only thing that generates sleep is our own internal sleep system).

If the experiment doesn’t work we can easily become worried and start searching for the next experiment or ritual — and all this time spent thinking and researching sleep makes sleep more difficult!

Related videos:

Sleep rituals are rarely a good idea — especially if you live with chronic insomnia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VoyybMMjN8

Constant change and endless sleep experiments are mentally exhausting and make sleep more difficult: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRcI2zcFJU4

Here’s a quick Q&A for clarity:

Q: What are the best foods for sleep?
A: A healthy, balanced diet is good for you and your sleep.

Q: When is the best time to eat for sleep?
A: When you are hungry.

The only time food *might* influence sleep is:

1. If you eat a huge meal a few minutes before going to bed — if you do this and notice indigestion keeping you awake, then you know from experience that might not be something to repeat in the future.

2. If you are out of bed implementing stimulus control during the night, it might be a good idea not to eat — because eating is a wakefulness cue for the body clock.

With these two caveats out of the way, I hope I have convinced you that what you eat (and when you eat) is not going to influence your sleep in any meaningful way — so it’s one less thing to worry about!

▶ Subscribe to the Insomnia Coach channel (and be sure to click the notification bell afterward so you don’t miss any videos): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5LsLUeVA2j_Vsl5625shQ?sub_confirmation=1

My name is Martin Reed and I am the founder of Insomnia Coach®. I offer sleep coaching services that give people with insomnia all the skills and support they need to enjoy better sleep for the rest of their lives. I also offer a free two-week sleep training course for people with insomnia at https://insomniacoach.com/sleep-training/?ref=youtube061819

You can also find me here:

Website: https://insomniacoach.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/insomniacoach
Facebook: https://facebook.com/insomniacoach
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myinsomniacoach/

All content found on the Insomnia Coach YouTube channel is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice or medical treatment and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, disorder, or medical condition. It should never replace any advice given to you by your physician or other licensed healthcare provider. All content is provided as is, and without warranties.

#insomnia
#sleep
#diet