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Eating late at night...
Eating late at night and getting a good night’s sleep
It is a myth that eating close to bedtime is bad for you and can even lead to weight
gain (as fat not muscle). Eating a high-carbohydrate meal will put the fuel back into
muscles not into fat cells. Of course a daily intake (measured in calories) greater than
the body’s energy needs, regardless of meal timings, will lead to an increase in body
fat and body weight.
At some time before bed, it is a good idea to think about what has been eaten during
the day and spot if anything is missing. How much fruit has been eaten? How much
milk, yogurt or cheese? Was carbohydrate intake sufficient? If not then any gaps can
be plugged before bed by having a banana or some dried fruit, a glass of milk or a
couple of rounds of toast and honey. Nobody should go to bed hungry. Instead, turn
the day upside down and have a bowl of breakfast cereal and milk – with perhaps even
a sliced banana or handful of dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, chopped apricots etc) on
top.
Another reason often put forward for not eating late at night is that it could upset
your sleep pattern. If food and/or drink is the cause it is invariably due to excessive
intake of alcohol probably topped off with inappropriate high fat fast foods such as
doner kebabs (one of the greatest risks of food poisoning by the way!). None of my
suggestions of things to eat late at night however will cause sleep problems. In fact in
most situations they can actually help you to get to sleep and have a quality night’s
sleep. Making the last meal before bed a high carbohydrate meal helps to increase the
body’s production of the hormone serotonin, which induces sleep. There is also some
truth in the old wives’ tale that a milky drink sweetened with honey encourages sleep,
again because of the effect of the carbohydrate on serotonin production
Sleep is a very important part of the recovery process. You should not be surprised
that you need more sleep than your less active friends. Research has shown that those
whose lifestyle includes a high level of physical activity (usually – but I know there are
exceptions) sleep more deeply and for longer than those who are less active - it is just
another example of Mother Nature knowing best!! During sleep all but the essential
functions stop and instead physiological repair and growth take place, peaking during
periods of deep sleep.
Players who do not get enough sleep may find that their performance takes a bit of a
nose-dive, particularly in terms of cognitive ability. Reaction times, ability to reason
logically and make decisions effectively may all dip as a result of poor sleep patterns.
Mild sleep deprivation seems to have little effect on physical performance however.
Those players who are worried that nerves may disrupt sleep patterns before
important tournaments should try to get a few early nights in the week leading up to
the big event. That way they should be a little less concerned if they do not sleep well
the night before and hopefully a bit more relaxed about it. Spending the night fretting
about not getting to sleep is certainly not going to be helpful.
There are several practical ways to ensure quality sleep. Going to bed at the same
time each night helps the body to feel drowsy naturally. As a result there should be
less difficulty getting to sleep than if bedtime is variable. An optimal environment for
sleep is one that is quiet, dark, cool (ideally 18°C/65°F) and comfortable. A big bed is
better than a narrow one as there can be forty to sixty position changes in the night
and having enough room to turn over is obviously important.
Having camomile tea at bedtime instead of tea or coffee, and sprinkling a little
lavender on the pillow or a tissue placed on the pillow may also have a soporific effect
(makes you feel sleepy). However I do appreciate that you may not feel so happy
doing this. On the other hand if you are desperate you probably will try it (it worked
for my son during A-levels!). If you are sleeping in a noisy environment (for instance
sharing a room with snorers) you could try ear plugs. I know of quite a few elite
sportspeople who travel with their own pillow as well as a pile of relaxation DVDs such
as dolphin sounds, waves on the beach etc. Finally avoid things like counting sheep,
watching violent or noisy films on TV or DVDs or listening to loud music on your iPod.
In other words avoid anything that is going to stimulate your brain – just at a time
when you want your body to calm down and relax.
Sweet dreams!
Jane Griffin
Sports Dietitian and Nutrition Consultant