If you think your poor sleep habit isn’t affecting your prediabetes state, then you need think again. Sleep deprivation can actually worsen your condition and even lead to Type 2 diabetes.
Look at it this way. Lack of sleep robs you of energy, so you need to find it elsewhere, and what better way to spike your energy level up than by eating food high in sugar content, right?
While this type of food can give you the boost you need, you’re not really helping yourself. You’re only trapping yourself in a vicious cycle and potentially worsening your prediabetes condition.
You need to break out of this habit and start getting a good night’s sleep. It’s only when you have a restful sleep that you’ll feel more energized. This and, of course, a proper diet that helps regulate blood sugar levels.
Below are some foods that you need to include in your diet. Not only can they help control blood sugar, but they improve your sleep as well.
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Meat and Fish
If you’re prediabetic, you need to avoid fried meat and fish as well as processed meat products. However, there are certain types of fish and meat products that you also need to include in your diet.
Fish like tuna and salmon have a high Vitamin B6 content. This vitamin boosts melatonin production which is very important in the regulation of your sleep and wake cycle. As for meat, eating turkey can help boost your serotonin level, a hormone that regulates sleeping habit. Turkey contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid and a precursor to serotonin.
Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and veggies are good for prediabetics, but if they’re canned, dried, or preserved in sugar, then you need to avoid them.
To promote better sleep, you need fresh fruits and veggies. Examples of these include kale, spinach, bananas, and tart cherries. These are rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and tryptophan, and they help promote better sleep habit and prevent insomnia.
Bananas are also rich in potassium, so if you’re suffering from muscle cramps, you’ll find that eating bananas can help alleviate the painful cramping.
Teas
Drinking a cup of tea can help promote a good night’s sleep. Some examples of these include green tea, chamomile tea, lavender tea, and peppermint tea. They contain natural substances that have sedative properties. These substances not only calm and relax you but also make you feel sleepy.
What to Avoid
There are foods, of course, that you need to avoid before hitting the sack like spicy foods, caffeinated beverages, alcohol, and even chocolate. Spicy foods can trigger a heartburn, which can keep you up a night; caffeine can overstimulate you, make you feel more nervous and jumpy, and prevent you from getting enough sleep.
As a prediabetic, you need to get enough sleep to prevent your condition from worsening and adding these foods into your diet just might help you achieve that.
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[expand title=”References“]
The Metabolic Consequences of Sleep Deprivation. URL Link. Accessed: August 17, 2017.[/expand]
