4 Simple Foods to Improve Sleep Quality
Sleep is one of the most important aspects of our health - it helps to reduce our risk for chronic illnesses, improves brain function, boosts your immune system and regulates your mood. When sleep deprivation strikes, it can leave you feeling irritable, fatigued and not well.
At Inspired Go, we put a lot of emphasis on being mindful about eating well. We believe eating healthy can improve every aspect of your life - even your sleep! If you struggle to fall asleep or feel exhausted throughout the day, try these four sleep superfoods that can help you catch up on those Zs!
1. Almonds
Almonds pack a punch to get a good night's sleep and help you fall asleep. Their secret ingredient is melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy when it's time for bed. They are also an excellent source of magnesium - an added bonus on your journey to a good night's rest!
Our Summer Strawberry Salad features sliced almonds. They add the perfect amount of crunch and texture to this salad. This salad is seasonal and will not be on the menu for long, but after our first almond salad test, we are excited to incorporate them into more of our meals.
If you are a big almond fan we encourage you to add a handful to any one of our meals on www.inspiredgo.ca. Almonds have a forgiving profile that will not drastically alter the flavour profile that we have crafted for our meals. Dig in and sleep tight!
2. Lean Protein
There is a reason that you fall asleep on the couch almost every thanksgiving. Lean protein such as turkey is loaded with the amino acid tryptophan, which stimulates melatonin production. Eating protein can also promote tiredness, so consuming moderate amounts of it before bedtime can improve sleep and help you sleep through the night. You can also try salmon, which is rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids and has the potential to enhance sleep quality and stimulate serotonin production - the hormone that makes you feel good.
We have recently launched dinner options on www.inspiredgo.ca. These new meals require no prep! Get them delivered to your door, throw them in the oven, and enjoy! The best part is that they are packed with fresh vegetables and delicious quality ingredients. When we developed this category we wanted these meals to encourage you to eat more vegetables by making it easy. We encourage you to pair any of our meals with protein. If you feeling a little tuckered out, turkey or salmon would be a great option! Either protein would pair very well with our Spring Feta Sheet Pan Meal.
3. Magnesium-Rich Foods
Magnesium is a nutrient involved in many bodily functions - one of which is its role in better sleep. It helps to regulate neurotransmitters that are directly related to sleep and makes you feel more tired at bedtime making it easier to fall asleep. Can you guess what ingredient is high in magnesium? Our favourite part! The lettuce!
We take a huge amount of pride in our leafy greens. They are grown in Coaldale, AB in our giant greenhouse. We chose Coaldale because it is one of the locations in Canada with the highest sunlight hours. The greenhouse is quite the spectacle! Through it, we are capturing CO2 and using it to aid in the plant's growth. This equates to a significant reduction in CO2 and makes our greenhouse more environmentally efficient. We also use 99% less water than growing in a field, and it doesn't have to travel a long distance to get to you. In fact, our greenhouse is 100x more land efficient than field agriculture.
The environmental sustainability piece of our greenhouse is very exciting, but what is even more exciting is the use of robots throughout the greenhouse. Having a closed system with no bugs and using robots instead of humans to water, care for, and transfer the plants means that we do not need to spray pesticides. Pesticides are harmful on the environment and they are also hard on our bodies. Lettuce is comprised of water, meaning that anything sprayed on the plant is incorporated into the plant's cells. You can feel good knowing that you are eating a local pesticide-free product. Not to mention, greenhouse lettuce is superior in flavour!
Our greenhouse lettuce is delicious and it is packed with magnesium. The key to improving your sleep quality and falling asleep faster is maintaining the nutrients that help your body achieve that. We encourage an ongoing healthy diet packed with fresh ingredients. When you order from Inspired Go you get to choose between a variety of meals, so you never get bored. You also don't have anything going to waste like you do when you grocery shop for a large array of vegetables and fresh food. Most importantly, we make it really easy. We deliver to your doorstep so that you have healthy food ready to go when you are hungry. If this all isn't a reminder to place your next order, here is your official reminder. Order now at www.inspiredgo.ca!
4. Oatmeal
We love our overnight oats! With a whole line up of recipes to choose from, we didn't only launch these because they are delicious. Oatmeal is full of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and melatonin. There is that secret ingredient again! Melatonin promotes sleep, improves sleep quality, helps you fall asleep faster, and aids in a good nights rest.
You may think of overnight oats as a great breakfast or morning pick me up, but it is also a great dessert or bedtime snack. Turning to something that is filled with nutrients will satisfy those evening cravings and will be better than your ice cream, cake, or sweet treat.
Our customers are loving our overnight oats. Our top sellers are the Chocolate Overnight Oats with coconut, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds as a topper. Customers also enjoy our Vanilla Overnight Oats with coconut, granola, and a fruit compote. We are always working on new recipes and have a few exciting ones up our sleeve!
Foods to avoid
When it comes to falling asleep, there are foods that will stop your ability to do so. Caffeine can be found in sodas, some teas, and of course coffee. Avoid drinking anything with caffeine before bed. Sometimes these products can still hold an effect even hours leading up to the time you want to fall asleep.
If you are incorporating too many spicy, deep fried, or acidic foods into your diet you might find that they decrease your sleep quality. This comes back to one of our core principles - eating well will increase every aspect of your life. Turn to foods that promote sleep instead!
Sleep is such an important part of life. Prioritize your sleep! If that means adjusting your diet, we highly encourage it!
