Hi everyone!
Welcome to Healthhacks!
Every Tuesday I bring ideas to become more productive at work and in day to day life by using simple health hacks. This Tuesday, I am going to share how to hack your sleep.
#Healthhacks #14
Do you also compel yourself to sleep every night? You are tossing and turning and, cannot manage to sleep because you are working in rotational shifts?
If this sounds familiar to you or the people you know who struggle with sleep, You should read this health hack. After reading this article you will not only understand the sleep mechanism but, you would easily hack your sleep as well.
Do you know before coming to you, sleep forms a rhythmic cycle by aligning your brain and body mechanism together?
To understand the sleep cycle of the human body in a simple manner, I would like to mention the three HEROES of circadian rhythms. Each one of three specifically performs the defined work.
The three heroes are :
- Tryptophan (an amino acid that helps in making of protein)
- Serotonin (neurotransmitter)
- Melatonin (neurotransmitter)
Chemically, tryptophan is required to make a molecule called 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), that further used in making of serotonin and melatonin.
So the first hero, Tryptophan is an amino acid that majorly determines our sleep. Our body uses tryptophan for making two neurotransmitters namely serotonin and melatonin.
Serotonin has primarily taken the role of creating wellbeing and happiness. After serotonin produced from tryptophan in the body, it can be converted into another important molecule called melatonin.
Melatonin determines the sleep cycle. Basically, melatonin is responsible for the sleep-wake cycle.
Oops! Can’t you segregate the roles? No worries! Let us dive deeper.
So, coming back to the heroes of sleep-cycle. The only reason I want to make you learn about them is to understand it very clearly. So that you don’t have to jump for supplements and pills to call sleep.
The ignorance may push you to the doctors and to buy their recommended drugs. Do you know the low levels of tryptophan in your body bring to you
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Tension
- Nervousness
- Aggression
- Impulsiveness
- A pause on long-term memory
After knowing this, you would certainly work on the Tryptophan level. Isn’t it?
Now coming back to Serotonin. It is a neurotransmitter and sleep-inducing element. It is found in the brain, intestine, and in the connective tissues of the human body. Our mood is highly impacted by the levels of serotonin.
There is also a link found between serotonin and SAD (Seasonal affective disorder). Sunshine has been found to trigger the production of serotonin.
Our scientists and research scholars have delved deeper and found that serotonin is also involved in learning processes.
Having a healthy gut and active body is crucial for the production of serotonin. Thus, gut-friendly foods or probiotics and a good work out is equally essential to raise the serotonin levels in the body.
You can’t get serotonin directly from food. So, it is suggested to take tryptophan-rich food sources that help in the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin.
Melatonin, the third hero is actually our circadian rhythm buzzer. It decides what and how would be our sleep-wake cycle. The neurotransmitter, Melatonin has been found to improve both daytime sleep quality and sleep duration.
This makes it particularly beneficial for the people who work in shifts and schedules sleep at odd times in a day.
Now coming to the most asked question how to fall asleep and sleep longer? The hack is to have a diet rich in tryptophan along with doing routine exercise and getting some sunshine.
- Eating tryptophan-enriched food help adults fall asleep faster and sleep longer, compared to the usual food items. Including Avocado, almonds, milk, beans, soy will be helpful in inducing the sleep cycle.
- Having a protein-rich diet will help improve sleep quality and sleep cycle like- poultry, milk, seafood, beans etc.
- Since we don’t have a direct food source of serotonin. You can include food items that assist in the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin such as- egg yolk, almonds, kiwi, tofu etc.
- Include gut-healthy probiotic food supplement like yoghurt.
- If the situation has gone out of your control, you can also opt for a supplement containing 5-HTP and melatonin. Do take your Doctor’s opinion.
To summarised it better, I have prepared a food table for you. Read, learn and do share.
Now that you have learnt. I have a few questions for you. Cheers! Time to refresh your memory about the role of 3 HEROES.
1. If the Boss at work mostly exasperates with the things and not convinced with employees performances. He doesn’t recollect the past performances of such productive employees, Your Boss is missing _____ in diet?
Your answer :
2. If you cannot manage to sleep because of the rotation shift duty and you are feeling low at work even you have started working out. What can help you regain the energy level and to maintain the sleep cycle?
Your answer :
3. You are a working employee who normally does not have any sleep issues. You sleep and wake up on your routine time. Your ________ level in body seems too good.
Your answer:
You can find the answers at last. Do share your scores in the comment section. I will applause for your understanding. And I would appreciate if you share it with your friends and community. It would be really helpful for them.
I would soon be coming up with sleep hack-part II. Stay connected.
Does your workplace engage you in any wellness promotion activity? Are you looking for any health hacks in particular? Do write back in the comments section, and I will hack it.
Here are the answers. Score yourself.
Answers :
1- Serotonin
2- Melatonin
3- Tryptophan