Getting good sleep is incredibly important for your overall health. It may reduce your risk of developing certain chronic illnesses, keep your brain healthy, and boost your immune system. It’s generally recommended that you get between 7 and 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night, though many people struggle to get enough. There are many strategies you can use to promote good sleep, including making changes to your diet, as previously noted. Here Brocky Wilson, Food.news, reflects on overcoming insomnia by eating less refined carbs:

sleep? You might be eating too many refined carbs and not enough fruits and vegetables.

This is according to a study led by Columbia University researchers, which shows that eating a diet rich in refined carbs can increase your risk of insomnia.

How refined carbs increases your risk of insomnia

Refined carbs are processed foods that have been stripped of some of their nutrients, such as fiber and minerals. Some examples of refined carbs include white bread, processed breakfast cereals, pastries, sweeteners and high-fructose corn syrup.

Past studies suggest a possible link between insomnia and the consumption of refined carbs, but this finding is yet to be confirmed. Since researchers didn’t follow participants over a long period of time, it’s unclear whether a diet high in refined carbs really triggers the onset of insomnia, or if insomnia causes people to eat more refined carbs.

To explore this association, the researchers analyzed data from more than 50,000 postmenopausal women included in the Women’s Health Initiative. These women completed food diaries to allow researchers to understand whether those who eat foods with high glycemic indices are more likely to develop insomnia than those who eat low glycemic foods.

The glycemic index (GI) is a rating system for foods that contain carbohydrates. GI values represent how quickly these foods affect your blood sugar when eaten on their own. High GI foods, such as those rich in refined carbs, are broken down quickly by your body and cause spikes in your blood sugar. Meanwhile, low GI foods, such as whole grains, are broken down more slowly and only cause a gradual rise in blood sugar.

Together with his colleagues, sleep specialist and study author James Gangwisch hypothesized that blood sugar spikes that occur after eating refined carbs can contribute to the development of insomnia.”

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