Announcer: We're all tired.

We're in a sleep crisis.

And now we know that sleep is especially critical for our overall health and wellness.

Plus, poor sleep is an underlying cause of many chronic diseases, including heart disease, obesity, diabetes, mood imbalances and so much more.

The good news is that there's hope for our weary, sleep starved bodies.

Registered dietitian Karman Meyer has been successful helping people get a restful restorative, revitalizing good night's sleep, using a food first approach.

So the answer for you to overall better sleep is in your own kitchen.

Learn what to eat and when to eat it to get a fabulous night's sleep, in... Eat To Sleep!

Let's welcome Karman Meyer.

[Audience applause] Karman: Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Hi.

I'm Karman Meyer.

What if I told you that sleep is one of the most important aspects of optimal health and that at least a third of us aren't getting enough quality sleep.

Getting a poor night's sleep isn't just about waking up groggy and having a so-so day.

The impact can be huge and it can negatively impact your health in serious ways.

Too little sleep on a consistent basis can lead to anxiety, poor memory, a weakened immune system, obesity and more.

Sleep is now viewed by the medical community around the world as critical to our health and well-being.

The American Heart Association recently included it as one of the eight essential components of optimal cardiovascular health.

But whether you're experiencing occasional insomnia or suffering from chronic sleep problems, there is hope.

And you can turn this around.

And it's not hard to do.

You have a superpower, and it's right within your reach.

Do you know what it is?

Audience: Sleep!

Karman: That's right.

Sleep.

Sleep, believe it or not, is your superpower.

And over the next hour, I'll introduce you to an easy to follow step-by-step Eat To Sleep Plan that uses food as an incredibly effective, all-natural solution to sleeplessness.

One of the important pieces of the sleep puzzle is nutrition.

So we're taking a food first approach.

You'll learn which foods to eat, when to eat them, and how to prepare them to set yourself up for a great night's rest.

You'll also learn which foods to avoid because they can disrupt your sleep and wreak havoc with your plan.

I'll introduce you to several leading sleep experts who will share their insights into the importance of sleep and the relationship between sleep and food.

And you can watch me in action coaching a few clients who have been struggling with a variety of sleep problems I think you'll relate to and who have been looking for food first sleep solutions.

We'll follow up with them to see if the changes they've made have improved their sleep.

So we're going to do it all together right now.

So let's go.

Audience: Yes, absolutely!

Karman: For nearly 15 years, I've worked as a registered dietitian to help people improve their health through nutrition.

My career started in long term care, working with adults over the age of 65 who were experiencing sleep issues.

Then I moved into behavioral health, doing group counseling with people diagnosed with insomnia, anxiety and depression.

Sleep was so elusive to many of these folks.

In my personal life, I have several family members who have struggled to sleep well for most of their lives.

It became clear to me that there's such a strong connection between dietary habits and optimal sleep in overall good health.

In working with clients, I've witnessed significant improvements they've made in diabetes management, mood, heart health, weight and sleep by making smarter food choices.

The answer for you to overall better health is in your own home, right in your kitchen.

Dr. Grandner: Poor sleep can lead to unhealthy food choices like eating more or foods high in fat and sugar and lower in fiber and other nutrients.

Dr. Malow: We're more apt to reach for that cookie or that starchy food.

Because we are tired.

And they've shown this in experiments.

People are more apt to go for the mashed potatoes than, let's say, the broccoli.

Dr. Grandner: And those poor food choices could lead to things like weight gain and obesity, diabetes and other metabolic conditions.

And likewise, those unhealthy food choices can lead to worse sleep, and that can then create a cycle of poor sleep and unhealthy food, which can lead to weight gain, obesity, immune problems and all kinds of other health issues.

Karman: As you can see, it can be a vicious cycle, but I'm here to help you get out of this cycle using food first.

I like to think of the nutrients in food as the essential tools we need in our toolbox to do a job well.

If we don't have the right tools or adequate nutrition, we can't expect to do a good job.

It's like trying to make a repair with duct tape.

It might work for a while, bu t it's not going to last very long.

[Laughter] Karman: There are several nutrients found in everyday foods that I highly recommend for quality sleep.

First, we're going to talk about melatonin.

So you may have tried a melatonin supplement at some point to help with sleep.

But did you know that melatonin can be found naturally in certain foods?

Melatonin is essential for regulating the sleep-wake cycle and the production of it actually declines as we age, starting as early as our teenage years.

Not only is it important for sleep, melatonin also has anti-inflammatory benefits and antioxidant protective effects.

So to help increase the amount of melatonin in the body, we should prioritize a few foods on a daily basis.

One recommendation I often make to clients is to start adding tart cherry juice to their day.

A research study from 2018 with participants 50 and older suffering from insomnia, found that drinking tart cherry juice was found to prolong sleep by 84 minutes.

Imagine that!

Audience: Wow!

Karman: Almost an hour and a half more sleep.

And I can see from your faces that you would love to have that much more sleep Audience: Yes!

Karman: And all of that from one small change.

You're going to hear me say that a lot that small changes can lead to big results.

Back to the tart cherry juice.

The participants in the study drank eight fluid ounces of juice twice a day, once in the morning, and then 1 to 2 hours before bedtime for two weeks.

And they saw those results.

It can be that easy.

Tomatoes, pistachios, eggs and certain types of mushrooms also provide some melatonin.

And calcium is very helpful for melatonin production.

So consider eating a slice of cheese, a cup of yogurt, or drinking an eight ounce glass of cows milk before bedtime.

If you're lactose intolerant, choose a lactose free milk or hard cheeses like aged cheddar, which naturally contain less lactose.

Almonds, calcium, fortified orange juice and green leafy vegetables are also calcium rich foods.

This isn't hard to do.

You can get a good night's sleep, but you need to have the right information.

Remember a few small changes in your diet and you can pop up in the morning, rested, full of energy, ready to meet the world.

So let's move on to two other nutrients that you can easily start eating more of to improve sleep.

Magnesium and potassium.

Both magnesium and potassium are electrolytes, which means they can affect muscle relaxation and contractions.

So we've all woken up at night with a terrible leg cramp, right?

Audience: Yeah... Karman: Yeah, it's awful.

These can be painful.

And once you wake up with one, it can be so difficult to get back to sleep.

Typically, those muscle cramps are related to a lack of electrolytes.

So by ensuring adequate intake of foods that contain magnesium potassium during the day, you can avoid those awful cramps.

Magnesium also plays a role in stress reduction and reduces inflammation and may help reduce the occurrence of migraines, and extreme cramping during menstruation.

So nuts and seeds, avocado, leafy green vegetables - these are all good choices for magnesium.

Potassium, in addition to muscle contraction and relaxation, can help with blood flow.

So be sure to enjoy foods like bananas, strawberries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and spinach more often.

Since we've been talking about magnesium and potassium to help with better sleep, let's hear from one of my clients, Beth.

Beth: Over the past several years, as I've gotten older, sleeping has become a little bit more of an issue.

I have had muscle cramps for years now and they just hadn't gotten any better.

If anything, they were increasing and becoming more of a problem.

They would hit my calves and I would jump out of bed and it would be so excruciating I would have to walk around.

So that's definitely going to impact my sleep.

It completely wakes me up.

Karman: So tell me how that impacted your energy levels the next day?

Beth: I'm not as alert the next day for work.

I don't have the energy I need to play pickleball, which I love to play at least a couple of times a week.

And I also don't have the energy to play with my twin grandbabies, and I'm usually just much more sluggish.

Karman: Things began to turn around for Beth a few months ago after she heard about my Eat to Sleep Plan and started introducing foods I recommend that are high in magnesium and potassium.

You picked out a few foods to add into your daily routine.

Those included shelled pumpkin seeds, chamomile tea, prunes, dates, tart cherry juice and grapefruit.

Beth: I'm eating so many more new foods for me.

Pumpkin seeds was something that I would have never, ever suspected would be a great choice for, you know, um, improving sleep and I love them.

And so now I'll put those on salads or put them on top of muffins or, you know, I can use them so many different ways.

Karman: What's changed for you since you've started eating more of these foods?

Beth: Well, I have less leg cramps now, which hallelujah.

And that's a great thing for me.

I feel like I sleep so much better.

My head hits the pillow and I'm usually out very quickly and, and stay asleep many nights.

I have more energy.

I'm going to be able to interact with coworkers.

And I've had more energy hanging out with the grandkids, too.

So when my feet hit the floor the next morning, I'm ready to face the day.

Karman: Isn't it great to hear how simple it was for Beth to incorporate just a few more foods into her weekly routine?

Audience: Yes.

Karman: And by doing so, she was able to reduce the frequency of those severe muscle cramps that were interfering with her sleep.

Beth is still on her sleep journey, which will continue to evolve as she learns more about her specific needs.

And your sleep journey will evolve too, as you go through the Eat To Sleep Plan.

Let's give Beth a nice round of applause.

[Applause] Karman :Not only has the occurrence of muscle cramping subsided, but she's also feeling so much more energy and ready to take on each day.

I want you to know that if you're experiencing something similar, you could follow some of the same recommendations to truly change your sleep and how you feel each day.

My food mantra is - "Small changes can yield big results."

And I'm going to work with you so you can stop feeling sleep deprived.

How does that sound?

Audience: Great.

[Applause] Karman: While we can include many foods to improve sleep, there are some things you may need to cut out or limit in the evening to get quality restorative sleep.

First, let's talk about caffeinated beverages like coffee, certain teas, sodas and energy drinks.

Now, before I go any further, please know that I love a good cup of coffee like so many of you.

So I'm not saying that you need to do anything radical here.

Just a few small adjustments.

Keep in mind, caffeine is a stimulant, which actually means it doesn't provide the body with energy.

It temporarily increases activity in the brain and elevates alertness.

But once it wears off, it can leave us feeling more sluggish and more tired than we were before we consumed the caffeine.

While there are positive health benefits to drinking around two cups of coffee a day, we should avoid overindulging because it can lead to restless sleep.

When you drink caffeinated beverages is also important to consider.

So if you want to go to bed by 10 p.m., cut off the caffeine by 2 p.m. at the latest to allow enough time for caffeine to be fully processed in your body.

So I'm just saying, please leave 8 to 10 hours between any caffeinated beverages and going to bed.

You'll be glad you did.

As you've heard me say over and over, sleep is critical to your health and well-being.

It's truly the foundation of good health.

Take a look.

Dr. Malow: Sleep is a big deal when we get that 7 to 8 hours of sleep that we need to feel rested.

It actually resets our brains and our bodies and it lets us be more productive during the day.

Dr. Grandner: Our brain is reorganizing.

It's forming memories.

It's consolidating information.

It's managing emotions and regulating how we process the information from our day.

Gale RN: While we're sleeping, the body takes that rest and it restores and repairs the muscles.

Dr. Malow: We're resetting our systems where, for example, getting rid of waste products and toxins that can, can sometimes contribute to conditions like Alzheimer's, even.

And we also find that it boosts our immune system when we sleep.

Dr. Grandner: Our heart slows down.

Our cardiovascular system is healing and recovering.

Our metabolism is slowing down and preparing for the next day.

Our immune system is doing lots of things in terms of regenerating cells throughout the body, fighting disease, learning from the exposures we've had during the day.

Growth is what happens during sleep.

Recovery is what happens during sleep and repair.

Karman: Isn't it incredible how while we sleep, our bodies are still very active in doing so much work for us.

It's vital that we reach those deep stages of sleep for restoration, repair and consolidation of memories.

I'm here to help you get the quality sleep you need.

Focusing on the foods you eat during the day is the perfect way to get started, and I know you can succeed with this.

Not only will your sleep improve with these foods I recommend, but your energy levels during the day will also be better.

And you may see other improvements in your health, such as weight loss, better blood sugar control and more.

I'd like you to hear from another client of mine, Regina, who has struggled with significant sleep issues over the past few years.

She's overweight, has pre-diabetes and high blood pressure.

Let's hear from Regina.

Karman: Regina, tell me about your sleep issues.

Regina: Oh, I really can't sleep.

I get up three or four o'clock in the morning and cannot go back to sleep.

I sometime I toss and turn and go back and forth to the bathroom.

Sometime I go to the 'frigerator or either turn the TV on for maybe a couple of hours and I stays up.

Karman: Do you snack at night when you can't sleep?

Regina: Yes, I do.

Like chicken wings and Coke and chips.

Karman: Tell me what a day used to look like before you had your, your medical issues.

Regina: Oh, man, I was full of energy.

I used to play basketball.

Go hiking, walking five miles.

I used to do all those activities.

Karman: When you're missing out on sleep, how does that that really make you feel?

And are you missing out on things in life?

Regina: Yes, make me feel depressed and I start eating.

Then I feel more depressed.

Then I eat more and I feel bad and I feel miserable and I'm just really tired of it.

Karman : We've talked a lot about how you're sleeping and how you're feeling.

And I've come up with a food plan for you full of some nutrient dense snacks that will keep you feeling fuller longer and offer some sleep beneficial nutrients like apples and cheddar cheese cubes, cottage cheese and pistachios, dark chocolate and orange slices and peanut butter and sliced banana.

Regina, I'm going to be checking in on you a couple of times a week for the next few weeks to see how you're doing with those recommendations and how your sleep is improving.

How does that sound to you, Regina?

Regina: I'm ready, let's go!

Karman: Over the next several weeks, Regina focused really hard on making changes to her food and eating patterns.

After that initial period, we met up with her again to find out how she was sleeping and feeling.

Regina: I have been sticking with the food plan to change my lifestyle.

I've been exercising.

Going to the community center.

I have lost 15 or 20 pounds at least, and it's just changed my life.

I'm not getting up late at night eating anymore.

I'm not feeling depressed.

I'm sleeping through the night better.

I'm not getting up, you know, it's three or four o'clock in the morning anymore.

I feel much better, energetic and positive and motivated.

Karman: It's so wonderful to hear that Regina is sleeping better at night and having more get up and go in the daytime.

Just a few changes in her food plan is making a big difference.

Please just remember that her story is unique to her.

So how about a round of applause for Regina?

[Applause] Karman: As you can see, the good news is that sleep is a powerful tool for all of us that can help regulate our body processes and improve our health and wellness.

When we come back, I'll show you more sleep benefitting foods you should be eating and when it's best to enjoy them.

Plus, I'll share with you my week-by-week.

Eat To Sleep Plan so you can succeed and get that good night's sleep you've been chasing for so long.

You won't want to miss it, so please stay with us.

[Applause] Announcer: Welcome back.

To Eat To Sleep.

[Applause] Karman: Hi, I'm Karman Meyer, and I've been helping people for years using a food first approach to get back to better health and better sleep.

Let's briefly review.

Earlier in the show, we discussed the importance of choosing foods that contain melatonin like tart cherry juice and foods rich in potassium and magnesium.

I also shared the timing of caffeine consumption so that it won't interfere with your night of sleep.

We also heard from two of my clients, Beth and Regina, who have followed my recommendations for dietary changes to help improve their sleep.

They shared how they're now feeling more energized and positive during the day and have returned to enjoying many activities they love.

If you're struggling with sleep problems of your own, I know you can start feeling better and sleeping better by just trying a few of my tips from the Eat To Sleep Plan.

Dr. Grandner: There is now decades of data that shows that sleep impacts two key hormones that control metabolism.

One is that poor sleep health elevates levels of ghrelin, which is a hormone that stimulates hunger, while at the same time it decreases levels of leptin that not only helps you feel full, but also helps you feel the rewarding consequences of food.

So people who don't sleep well because of disruptions in these hormones might be more hungry, less able to feel full, and be more likely to seek more rewarding food, not necessarily more healthy food.

Karman: Isn't it fascinating that these hormones, ghrelin and leptin, which you probably have never heard of, can have so much impact on your overall health and that sleep is so critical to hormone health and optimum well-being?

As we heard from Regina, her evening snacks of cookies, pie and other empty calorie foods were contributing to her sleep disturbances.

Too much sugar in your diet throughout the day has a direct effect on blood sugar levels and will cause peaks and valleys in your energy.

Sugar boost energy levels quickly, but causes a crash quickly after that.

That's why it's essential we focus on quality carbohydrate foods like whole wheat bread, oats and fresh fruit, and pair them with a protein source like cheese, nuts or yogurt to make a balanced, blood sugar friendly snack.

Do you enjoy a bedtime snack?

Audience: Yes.

Karman: Yes?

Me too.

I love a good bedtime snack and we'll cover some simple, satisfying, sleep friendly evening snacks you can start enjoying after we hear again from our sleep experts who explain more about how excess sugar, fats and caffeine, particularly close to bedtime, can interfere with sleeping well at night.

Gale RN: There's a strong connection between what we eat and how we sleep and that we want to rest and not feel overly full when we sleep and allow our body to do what it needs to cardiovascularly during that time.

Dr. Grandner: Unhealthy eating habits like consuming too much sugar can lead to energy surges and dips that can lead you to um reaching out for too much caffeine or eating more unhealthy foods searching for energy.

Limiting sugar during the day can help level out your energy, which can help promote your ability to engage in other healthy habits, which not only improves your health, your metabolism, your immune system, but might also help you get better sleep at night, too.

Dr. Malow: We have to be careful of other foods that we eat particularly close to bedtime.

So, for example, very fatty foods or heavy foods, a lot of meats, a lot of food that's fried.

All of that can really wreak havoc on our our bodies and make it harder to go to sleep because you're lying in bed trying to fall asleep and you feel like you have your food almost coming up on you.

Karman: Remember, my food mantra is "Small changes can lead to big results."

Gradually add my food recommendations to your lifestyle.

Don't make too many changes too fast.

Let me show you some of my better for you bedtime snacks that I recommend to clients.

Each of these snack options combine a complex carbohydrate with a protein option so that blood sugars can stay more stabilized at night and you won't wake up hungry in the middle of the night.

If you like salty snacks like chips, choose a whole grain cracker like whole grain saltines and pair them with about six cheese cubes or go for a handful of lightly salted pistachios and a small cup of cottage cheese.

For those with a sweet tooth in the evening, try eating some Greek yogurt topped with dried tart cherries and almonds, or a banana paired with peanut butter or almond butter, or just a couple squares of dark chocolate and a few strawberries.

Don't these all sound like pretty good snacks?

Audience: Yes.

Karman: So this is also key.

We need to be aware of portion sizes of snacks.

We don't want to go to bed on a really full stomach.

The purpose of a snack is to satisfy hunger and to keep our blood sugar levels steady through the night.

So if you typically don't need a snack after dinner or before going to bed, then you don't have to add this in.

But if you do find yourself waking up in the middle of the night feeling hungry, choose one of the options I just shared.

So now that we've covered evening snacking, let's review how alcohol could be keeping you from getting restorative deep sleep.

While alcohol is a depressant and helps the body relax, it also prohibits you from entering the deep stages of sleep, which we learned about earlier.

So you may fall asleep easily after having a drink or two, but you're more likely to have restless sleep.

And alcohol can also make snoring worse because it can be dehydrating.

So having wine or other alcoholic drinks with dinner or before bed is common for many.

But if you're experiencing those sleep disturbances, it's worth taking a week or two off from this habit to see how it impacts your sleep.

For me personally, I notice that drinking red wine at night was causing sleep issues.

So now it's something I do only on occasion, and I just limit myself to one glass.

We also have to consider when we're drinking alcohol.

So if you like enjoying a glass of wine or favorite cocktail, have that with dinner and aim for that to be about 3 to 4 hours before going to bed.

Then just make sure you're rehydrating with twice as much water as the amount of alcohol you drink.

This will help counteract the effects of alcohol and improve your chances of sleeping restfully.

I'd like you now to meet another client of mine and hear about his sleep problems and how they've significantly affected his daily routine.

Sam is retired from a busy, high-stress job.

He's married and in the evenings he drinks in moderation.

But since his retirement several years ago, something's been keeping him from deep, restorative stages of sleep.

And that's led him to feeling tired and having a lot less energy during the following day.

So let's hear Sam's story.

Sam: When I was, uh, younger, I regularly slept through the night and felt energetic and ready to greet the day.

And more recently, I have found it more difficult to fall asleep promptly and to stay asleep all through the night.

And I would like very much to get back to as close to the golden days of a good night's sleep.

And if you can help me do that, you will be my hero.

Karman: Describe what it feels like the next day if you haven't had a good night of sleep, how are you feeling the next day?

Sam: Well, I certainly function, but I do...

I don't feel as chipper and as rested and energetic in the mornings that I was back in the good old days when I would bound out of bed already to meet the day.

I find I'm taking naps from time to time.

Back in the good old days, I don't recall doing that almost ever.

Karman: Based on the sleep issue Sam described, I suggested adding a few foods to his daily routine.

Tart cherry juice, Pistachios, Eggs, Tomatoes, avocado.

Green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach.

And then increasing your water intake to help with hydration.

So I'll be checking in with you a couple times a week for the next few weeks to see how you're doing with the plan that I've recommended and how your sleep is changing.

Sam: Great, I look forward to that.

I really do want to make some progress here, and I appreciate your help.

Karman: Over the next several weeks.

Sam stayed faithfully on track with his new food plan.

At that point, we paid him a quick visit to see how he was and how he was sleeping.

Let's take a look.

Sam: I assumed that my more recent sleep issues were age related, but now I have learned that there are lots of things about my habits and patterns that, unlike age, I could change.

And one of those was food.

I find that I am falling asleep sooner, much sooner than I used to, and waking up a good bit more refreshed and ready to greet the day.

And not only am I getting to sleep a little earlier, I find that my sleep pattern is much smoother.

I don't wake up in the middle of the night anywhere near as often as I used to and I'm happily surprised when I wake up and the room is light and it's ready, It's time to get up.

Not only do I feel much more awake and energized in the morning, but throughout the day I have more energy and am able to concentrate more and achieve more projects.

Karman: I love how Sam was so open about sharing his sleep struggles since he retired several years ago.

These issues are so common for people who are retired because the schedule they had for so long has shifted dramatically.

Sam had a regular full time job for decades, so not having a full schedule every day was a huge change for him.

Our bodies really crave routine and consistency and have a hard time adjusting to major changes.

And that's especially true for when we eat our meals, when we wake up in the morning and when we go to bed at night.

The more we can do to keep our daily activities consistent, the more rested, alert and energized we'll be.

Okay.

Now I want to share with you six simple changes that are part of my Eat To Sleep Plan.

Each and every one of you can make these changes to your daytime and bedtime rituals to help get better sleep and feel more energy during the day.

Are you ready?

Audience: Yes.

Karman: All right, let's do this.

First, set a consistent time to wake up in the morning and stick to it as much as possible.

When you do, wake up, get out of bed, start engaging with the day instead of lying there, checking email or thinking about everything you need to do that day.

It's so important to train our brain that the bed is for sleep.

So when we lay our heads on that pillow at night, our body knows it's time for sleep.

Once out of bed, enjoy a balanced breakfast that includes protein, fiber and fat within about an hour of waking up.

This could be something like an egg with whole wheat toast topped with some avocado or peanut butter and then some fresh fruit.

If you're not much of a breakfast eater, that's okay.

Opt for something like a glass of milk and a banana.

It can really be just that simple.

If you like a smoothie in the morning, be sure to include plain Greek yogurt or milk as the base of that smoothie for some protein.

It also helps make it creamier lower in sugar and will give you the sleep benefiting nutrients you'll need later in the day.

Try to drink 8 to 10 glasses of water, milk or decaffeinated beverages every day to ensure adequate hydration.

That will help prevent snoring at night and helps the gut to better absorb the nutrients we need.

If it's hard for you to drink that much liquid each day, increase the amount of hydrating foods you eat like cucumber, cantaloupe, watermelon and grapefruit.

I do recommend you try to get most of your hydration early in the day rather than later in the evening so that you can limit those trips to the bathroom at night.

[Laughter] Karman: Drink a glass of tart cherry juice 1 to 2 hours before bed.

And remember that tart cherries are a natural source of that sleep inducing hormone melatonin.

And after drinking it as part of your daily routine for two weeks, it can help extend the duration of sleep each night.

Even for those experiencing insomnia.

My nighttime routine often includes a cup of caffeine free herbal tea like chamomile and lavender, and a whole grain snack that's filling, like popcorn, because that's my favorite.

And I have that about an hour before going to bed.

Once I get into bed, it's a no screen zone.

No phone, no tablet, no TV.

Instead, do something calming, like reading a book or writing in a journal.

I know it might be tough to stick with, but once you try for a week, you'll see such a difference in your sleep.

A calming bedtime routine such as a warm bath or a small snack is so important for signaling to the body that it's time to prepare for sleep.

Remember, we don't want to be in bed and doing anything that could be potentially stress-inducing like paying bills or watching a scary movie or the news, that could be upsetting.

So create a new, quiet, relaxing bedtime routine which can actually retrain our brain to recognize that being in the bed means it's time for good sleep.

Starting with one or two of these recommendations will put you on the right path to improving sleep.

And I know you can do it.

And once you get established with a routine like I've described, you can add even more of these new habits.

I know you'll start to see a major improvement in the quality of your sleep and overall health.

Remember, small changes yield big results.

When we come back, I'll share how menopause symptoms can be better managed through food to help with sleep and improved energy levels during the day.

Plus, I'll show you how to use my Good Sleep checklist to create an Eat To Sleep plan for yourself!

So please stay with us.

[Applause] Announcer: We're back with Eat To Sleep!

[Applause] Karman: Hi, I'm Karman Meyer.

I've shared my better for you bedtime snacks to help you sleep well at night, plus, the foods to avoid that can wreak havoc on your sleep and your energy levels.

I also shared my six tips to follow from sunrise to sunset so you can start sleeping better now.

We've discussed why sleep is so important for overall health, as well as certain foods and nutrients we can include more of daily to get back to better sleep.

By now you probably have a pretty good idea of what foods may be triggering your sleep issues at night and making it more challenging to have energy during the day.

I've shared food first solutions to help you get back your energy and sleep well at night.

One major life change that can dramatically interfere with sleep and that affects many women over the age of 50 is menopause.

One third of a woman's life can be spent in menopause.

So we certainly don't want to miss out on sleep during that amount of time.

[Laughter] Karman: Studies have shown that women who eat a more plant-based diet and include soy foods like edamame and tofu experience fewer menopausal complications due to increased phytoestrogens coming from those foods.

This means fewer hot flashes during the day and at night that can interrupt sleep.

A tea that includes valerian root may also be helpful in improving sleep for postmenopausal women, experiencing insomnia since it can decrease anxiety and those psychological stressors and it actually works similarly to a sedative.

I want you to now meet another client of mine.

Her name is Linda and she's 53.

She's going through perimenopause and is having a hard time.

She's experiencing hot flashes, mood swings and poor sleep.

So let's hear Linda's story.

Linda: For the past three years, I'm experiencing trouble sleeping all night.

I'll wake up a couple of times a night.

Sometimes once, sometimes twice.

I'll sleep maybe 4 hours, 5 hours.

And I wake up as tired as I went to bed the previous night.

Karman: So how would that affect your, your day the next day?

Linda: I am fatigued.

I'm foggy brained.

And very often extremely moody.

Karman: When you say moody, what did that look like exactly?

Linda: That might be coming home at the end of a long day and just blowing up at my husband for no particular reason.

Karman: Do you feel like the things that you were eating when you were really tired, did that change at all?

Linda: I find myself munching throughout the day, not making the right food choices and not being consistent with my meals, sometimes going times where I'm not eating at all and then I'm hungrier at the end of the day.

And angrier, hangrier at the end of the day.

Karman: Tell me when all of these sleep issues started?

Linda: Three years ago, I was in a classroom.

I had gone back to school to get an undergrad degree in nutrition.

And I would be in the middle of an exam and I would start to sweat profusely.

I then saw my doctor.

We agreed after taking some blood work that I was going through menopause.

What I'm experiencing now years later, however, is a continued compromised sleep pattern where I'm not sleeping soundly throughout the night and I'm waking up just as exhausted as I was the previous evening.

Karman: Can you describe some of the things you would enjoy doing if you were getting a better sleep at night?

Linda: I would enjoy work.

I would enjoy my husband.

I would be happy in all that I do.

And I'm not happy right now.

I'm really tired of being tired and I want my life back.

I want to be happy again.

I want to feel young again.

And I want to have the energy that I had three years ago.

Karman: We've talked about a few foods that I want you to start adding to your daily routine for better sleep.

Specifically edamame, tofu, soy milk, a sleepy time tea, leafy green vegetables, like kale and spinach.

And also increasing your water intake every day.

Linda: Great, Those are all great options.

Karman: So I'll be checking in with you a couple times a week to see how things are going.

And you can share with me if anything has changed or any questions, but I'm looking forward to you also getting back to a better night of sleep.

Linda: Great.

I look forward to hearing from you and I'm very excited about this.

I'm excited about getting back to normal, too.

Karman: Over the next several weeks, Linda made a number of changes to her food and eating patterns.

We then visited her to find out how she was feeling and how she was sleeping.

Here's what she told us.

Linda: I've been sleeping much better.

I'm waking up less frequently in the middle of the night, or not waking up at all in the middle of the night.

And I'm also feeling less tired during the day.

I feel as though the sleep is solid sleep because in the morning I am more rested and throughout the day I am also less tired.

My husband has definitely been a target of my moodiness and my stress level.

That has gotten better because I am handling stress more easily and he is no longer the punching bag.

Linda's Husband: That's true.

[Laughter] Karman: It's so great to see Linda sleeping and feeling a lot better.

She's at home with her husband and in those early stages of her new career.

I'm sure her husband is thrilled, too.

Linda is clearly motivated to make major changes in her food plan and she's done it.

She's discovered her superpower.

Sleep.

Congratulations, Linda.

You're on your way.

[Applause] Karman: Please just remember that her story is unique to her.

I want to help you make your food choices as clear and simple as possible.

So I've created two tables filled with different foods.

We have the good sleep table and the bad sleep table.

So let's just review some of the foods on our bad for sleep table.

And remember, it's not that we have to avoid these foods forever, but it is best that we limit portion sizes and stay mindful of when we enjoy them.

So with alcoholic beverages, you may want to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, but I recommend having any alcoholic drink at least 3 to 4 hours before going to bed.

And make sure that you drink twice as much water as you do alcohol to rehydrate your body and set yourself up for a good night of sleep.

For coffee and other caffeinated beverages limit total daily caffeine intake to 400 milligrams at most.

And be sure to drink enough water throughout the day to prevent dehydration.

And you should cut caffeine intake about 8 to 10 hours before you'd like to go to bed.

Now, with high fat meals that include fried foods or fatty meats and other high fat snacks, limit portion sizes, especially at evening meals, so that your body can digest well and to prevent acid reflux that might keep you up when you're trying to fall asleep.

The same is true for spicy foods or tomato sauces.

if you're prone to having acid reflux.

Just steer clear of any problem foods that cause acid reflux for you.

Lastly, our bedtime snack should be lower in fat and sugar to prevent any digestive issues or blood sugar dips in the middle of the night.

And we talked about some of those better for you bedtime snacks to enjoy instead.

Things like yogurt and fruit, cheese and some whole wheat crackers or nuts and dried fruit.

Now let's focus on the foods we should eat and enjoy more of every day to help us sleep like a baby at night.

One of my first recommendations to people is to add tart cherry juice because of the naturally occurring melatonin, which helps regulate the circadian rhythm.

You can enjoy a 6 to 8 ounce glass of tart cherry juice in the morning with breakfast and then about 1 to 2 hours before bed to get better sleep.

You can even add it to a smoothie in the morning, which is something I like to do.

Other melatonin containing foods you can include are almonds and pistachios.

Eggs.

All of these things that I recommended to Sam.

Next, make sure you're including a serving of green, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, even avocado.

Have these at least once a day for a source of magnesium to support sleep, help with muscle cramping and to reduce inflammation.

If snoring or sleep apnea is an issue for you, or maybe more so for the spouse next to you [Laughter] Karman: Then I want you to prioritize hydration to reduce those dry mouth and nasal passages that can make snoring even worse.

So women should aim for 90 fluid ounces of water a day like this pitcher here and men should have closer to 125 fluid ounces.

The good thing is that food counts towards hydration.

So choose hydrating foods like watermelon, cantaloupe, grapefruit, even strawberries.

These are great snack options.

Or you could throw them into a salad.

If you experience muscle cramping that jolts you awake in the middle of the night, follow what Beth did by adding in more potassium-rich foods like bananas and tomatoes, and then have some magnesium containing foods like pepitas.

These shelled pumpkin seeds are easy to add to yogurt, oatmeal, or even as a soup topping.

And remember, you can enjoy foods like pasta and bread, but portion sizes are key, and it's best to focus on whole grain options for more fiber and nutrients.

The fiber is so important for keeping blood sugar stable, both during the day and at night while we're sleeping.

That sudden drop in blood sugar at night can cause you to wake up sweating and with a rush of adrenaline, making it difficult to fall back asleep.

One of my go to nighttime snacks is popcorn, which is a whole grain and three cups of popped popcorn counts as a serving.

Just add a little bit of parmesan cheese for some flavor and you have a very tasty bedtime snack.

You can end your day with a calming hot cup of chamomile tea or a blend of valerian root, lavender and chamomile to help you fall asleep quickly.

And having that cup of herbal tea as part of your bedtime routine will send a signal to the brain that it's time to prepare for sleep.

[Applause] Karman: As you take steps to better sleep.

I recommend using a sleep journal or log to track the changes you've made and how they've helped, plus any improvement in your sleep.

This is really helpful for recognizing patterns and connecting the dots between the food choices you make during the day and how they may affect you at night.

Write down what you did 30 minutes before bedtime, the time you went to bed.

If you consumed caffeine or alcohol, any sleep promoting foods you ate during the day.

If there are any stressful topics on your mind, whether you woke up in the night and the time you woke up the next morning.

These are all helpful things to take note of.

You can also use my good sleep checklist to select the new daily habits you want to put in place.

Let me lay out our first month on the Eat to Sleep Plan.

During that first week, I want you to choose two goals to focus on based on all that we've covered in this hour together.

Focus on one food or beverage you can add to your daily routine and one food or beverage to limit to help with sleep.

Adding in that tart cherry juice to your morning and bedtime routine is one of the simplest things to start doing.

To boost intake of melatonin.

If you feel like you drink a lot of caffeine late in the day, or you have 2 to 3 alcoholic beverages at night, then start slowly reducing the amount and be mindful of when to cut off consumption of these beverages.

In week two, let's focus on reducing added sugars from things like sodas, candies and pastries and replacing them with quality carbohydrates such as apples, prunes or strawberries.

This is especially important in the evening after dinner and before heading to bed.

We'll also focus on staying hydrated during the day by drinking plenty of water and non-caffeinated beverages and choosing those water rich foods like cucumber, watermelon and spinach.

A good goal would be to start drinking one additional glass of water in the morning when you wake up.

As you start adding in these new habits, don't be hard on yourself and remember my mantra-- "Small changes lead to big results."

So if you miss a goal item one day, do not beat yourself up.

That can be a sleep stressor itself.

So be gentle with yourself.

Just pick up with your goals at the next meal or the next day and move on.

For week three start adding in more magnesium containing foods like avocado, nuts and seeds, leafy green vegetables.

These all help with stress reduction, muscle cramping and can improve sleep.

So aim for at least one serving of these foods every day.

In week three, you should see real progress.

Feeling more rested, energized and alert.

Plus, you'll probably start hearing really positive comments from your friends and family.

In week four, set up a new, relaxing bedtime routine that can include a sleepy herbal tea like chamomile and try a stress-free activity like reading a book or writing in your journal before bed.

Whatever you decide to include in your calming bedtime routine, make it a habit so that your brain becomes rewired and trained to recognize that it needs to wind down for a good night of sleep.

And after week four, you'll probably wonder why you didn't take these simple yet powerful steps before.

Kaman: We've covered a lot together in this program about good foods for sleep and those that may be problematic.

I suggest starting off with just a few simple changes that you can easily implement so that it doesn't feel overwhelming.

Change can be really challenging, but when you set attainable and realistic goals for yourself, it's much easier to stick to.

I know you can follow this program and my recommendations to use food as your all natural solution to get back to better sleep.

Remember to focus on the foods you should eat more of and find simple ways to enjoy them every day.

You're going to feel so much better day to day having slept well at night.

You'll feel more energized and ready to participate in those daily activities, have improved mood and you'll be getting the quality restful sleep your body needs at night, which is beneficial for your heart, immune system, metabolism and memory.

So let's Eat To Sleep!

Thank you all for watching at home and thank you to the audience here with me.

Eat well, sleep well and be well, my friends.

[Applause] [Music]