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Hey there,
Most people who struggle with sleep have already tried the usual things like magnesium and melatonin.
And those can definitely help some people rest better.
But what if something more basic about your food intake is keeping you from sleeping well, and the fix is actually super simple?
I'm talking about carbohydrates...
Most people don't realize this, but if you're not eating enough carbs, it can seriously harm your ability to sleep deeply. Let me explain quickly...
When you don't consume enough carbohydrates, your body still needs glucose for dozens of functions like hormone production and organ function, so it breaks down protein to create blood sugar by elevating stress hormones.
The rise in cortisol and other stress hormones helps your body with a process called Gluconeogenesis (converting protein into blood sugar)...
So if you skimp on carbs, this spikes your cortisol and stress hormones and makes sleeping harder.
One reason people wake up in the middle of the night and can't drift back to sleep is because they didn't eat enough carbs during the day, and their body runs low on accessible glucose, so cortisol spikes to generate more blood sugar.
On the flip side, if you give your body MORE healthy carbs throughout the day (fruit, honey, and starchy roots are my go-to carb sources), your cortisol stays low, and you avoid that middle-of-the-night spike that jolts you awake.
Most people need somewhere between 150 grams of carbs on the low end up to 300+ grams daily for active folks.
So people on lower carb diets often just aren't getting enough, and that's why cortisol is spiking and keeping them from deeper sleep.
I don't necessarily suggest grains for your carbs (though white rice and sourdough are two of my easier-on-the-body carb sources), but I prefer getting carbs through fruit, honey, coconut water, juice, and starchy roots like potatoes and sweet potatoes.
I've suggested a spoonful of honey or a banana about 30-60 minutes before bed to many friends and clients with sleep issues, and most of them report sleeping MUCH better without waking in the middle of the night after adding more carbs.
With that said, you won't want to miss this powerful tip below involving a cherry trick for deeper sleep...
Why 3 AM Wake-ups Pack on Belly Fat
Sarah, 52, was stuck in a nightly cycle:
Every night around 3 AM, her eyes would snap open...
Did I pay the electric bill?
What if mom's test results are bad?
Are we saving enough for retirement?
Why did I snap at my daughter today?
Her mind would race for hours.
She'd lie there staring at the ceiling, exhausted but wired, watching the clock inch toward 5 AM... 6 AM...
Then she'd drag through another zombie-like day.
Desperate and gaining weight quickly, she finally visited her doctor…
“Every 3 AM wake-up is spiking your cortisol… Every cortisol spike is packing fat onto your belly.
No wonder you’re gaining weight at such a fast pace! Your broken sleep is destroying your body.” her doctor told her.
Then he showed her a 30-second cherry trick that silenced the racing thoughts and repaired her broken sleep.
Results:
- Week 2: Sarah was sleeping through the night and waking up refreshed
- Month 6: Sarah sleeps deeply every night, dropped 24 lbs, and has a sharp mind with endless energy
>> Get the 30-second cherry trick that stops 3 AM wake-ups and racing thoughts (works tonight!)
Sweet dreams!
Kinsey Jackson
Clinical Nutritionist - MS, CNS®
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