Evening diet not only directly affects blood sugar reactions after meals but also affects throughout sleep time. Consuming a lot of sweets or refined carbohydrates at dinner easily causes blood sugar levels to spike and then drop suddenly.
When blood sugar drops too low at night, the body will activate the release of compensatory hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, disrupting sleep and making you easily wake up in the middle of the night.
Stabilize blood sugar overnight
Fiber plays a key role in controlling glucose thanks to its ability to slow down the digestive process, helping blood sugar gradually increase instead of sudden fluctuations. In particular, soluble fiber helps control the rate of nutrient absorption into the blood, preventing reactional hypoglycemia in the middle of the night and limiting the release of stress hormones that disrupt sleep.
Prolong the feeling of fullness, reduce nighttime cravings
If you often wake up in the middle of the night with a burning stomach or craving late-night snacks, this is a sign that your body is lacking fiber. Fiber-rich foods such as vegetables, whole grains and beans activate stretching receptors that signal a feeling of fullness to the brain, and at the same time, slow down the process of emptying the stomach for the body to digest slowly.
Reduce inflammation and nourish the gut microbiome
Fiber is an important food source that nourishes a healthy gut microbiome. When the microbiome is balanced, the body will produce short-chain fatty acids that help inhibit chronic inflammatory reactions - one of the causes of sleep disorders. Fiber-rich diets such as Mediterranean diets are effective in reducing inflammation and supporting deep sleep cycles.
Supports activation of natural sleep hormone production
Besides the light factor, digestive system health plays a key role in regulating sleep hormones. Intestinal bacteria have the task of supporting the metabolism of tryptophan - an essential amino acid - into serotonin, then the body continues to convert serotonin into melatonin - a hormone that regulates circadian rhythm and natural sleep.
Therefore, a healthy gut thanks to a high-fiber diet is the foundation for the body to produce melatonin effectively.
