Sleep Nutrition
One in five Britons are not sleeping enough. Here are some of the key nutrients and botanicals that may help fix those slumber issues
Across the UK, it seems that poor sleep is becoming more of an issue. So much so that research suggests as many as one in five Brits aren’t getting the sleep they need. Even if people are factoring in seven to nine hours of sleep each night — the amount recommended by the NHS — waking up during the night, and taking ages to fall asleep in the first place, can all hinder our chances of hitting those sought-after sleep hours and may impact our overall health and wellness.
So, what’s getting in the way of sleep? And is there anything that can help? Mike Wakeman, researcher, pharmacist and the brains behind Evera Nutrition (everanutrition.co.uk), a range of science-backed supplements including vitamins, minerals, botanicals and herbals says: “For anyone struggling with sleep, lifestyle factors such as stress, late-night eating and screen time, are part of the picture, but so are underlying nutrient gaps that can make it much harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.”
Plus, certain nutrients, such as the ones found in the new Evera Nutrition Deep Sleep supplement, can also help to further support sleep. Explaining the importance of sleep and why we all need to make it a priority, according to Wakeman: “Sleep is an active, regenerative process that’s essential for physical repair, cognitive function and emotional stability. Poor sleep can therefore impair cognitive performance, weaken your immune system and increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”
He adds: “It can also contribute to anxiety and depression and it helps to regulate metabolism, supports emotional stability, enhances focus and allows recovery from daily stressors. As a result, sleep is vital for our health and wellness.”
With this in mind, here are some of the key nutrients and botanicals you need to know about for a good night’s sleep:
Magnesium
This key mineral plays a role in regulating neurotransmitters such as GABA and serotonin that influence sleep and relaxation. GABA is essentially the brain’s main calming neurotransmitter. “Several studies suggest magnesium supplementation may help to improve sleep onset and quality, particularly in people with lower baseline magnesium levels,” says Wakeman. Magnesium may also help indirectly support production of melatonin, your sleepy hormone, and even reduce stress hormone levels, contributing to a calmer nervous system, he adds. Low levels of magnesium are also associated with restless legs syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes an irresistible urge to move legs.
Folic Acid
Folic acid, which is a form of vitamin B9, plays an important role in neurotransmitter synthesis and methylation — our body’s process that helps switch genes on and off — in the brain; these can influence mood and sleep. Plus there has been research which suggests higher folate levels are linked to less difficulty falling asleep.
Vitamin D
As well as being essential for bone, teeth and muscle health, low levels of vitamin D have also been associated with poor sleep as well as restless legs syndrome, much like magnesium. In a study of 9,400 participants, vitamin D deficiency was associated with a significantly increased risk of sleep disorders, which included poor sleep quality and short sleep duration, according to Wakeman. “As well as this, another research review found that vitamin D supplementation improved sleep quality scores compared with control groups, which didn't take a supplement. This just goes to show how important vitamin D is.”
L-Theanine
This amino acid is renowned for its sleepy benefits. According to Wakeman, L-Theanine helps to increase activity of calming neurotransmitters such as GABA and reduce stress-related symptoms, which can make sleep feel a lot easier. In one study, L-Theanine was shown to improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety symptoms in healthy adults. So much so, that sleep quality, including sleep latency (the time taken to fall asleep), sleep disturbances and use of sleep medication, improved significantly more in the L-Theanine group versus a placebo group.
Chamomile
There’s good reason why a chamomile tea before bed is said to help make it easier to drift off at night. A past study carried out on older adults with insomnia found that when they took chamomile extract twice daily for 28 days, they enjoyed improvements in sleep quality. Plus, like many other nutrients and botanicals, chamomile interacts with GABA receptors in the brain, to help you feel calmer before bed.
Tart Cherry
Tart cherries are one of the few natural food sources containing phytomelatonin. “This is a plant form of melatonin, the sleepy hormone which tells your body that it’s time to sleep,” says Wakeman. “In fact, research shows that melatonin levels increased significantly in the group of people consuming tart cherry juice concentrate. The group also had longer total sleep time.”
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