Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris Winter

#21 - Sleep and Food: You Sleep What You Eat


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Nutrition and food are big topics within sleep circles. What can I eat to support great sleep? In this episode we will:

  • Learn about the amnio acid tryptophan and what food contain high levels.
  • Debunk the myth that turkey contains high levels of tryptophan, and thus is the reason why you fall asleep after eating turkey on Thanksgiving
  • Outline the steps in melatonin synthesis, beginning with tryptophan being facilitated by calcium and insulin levels in the body
  • List the various enzymes and chemicals that catalyze the steps of melatonin synthesis, and the nutrients that support them
  • Highlight foods that are sources of intrinsic melatonin, such as tart cherries, black walnuts, and almonds
  • Investigate GABA, potassium, and apigenin as chemicals outside of the melatonin synthesis pathway than can influence sleep.

Produced by: Maeve Winter

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  • The Sleep Solution and The Rested Child

Thanks for listening and sleep well!

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Sleep Unplugged with Dr. Chris WinterBy Chris Winter, MD

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