Glycemic Index. Could the GI of your Dinner affect your sleep?

In the February, 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers were curious about the impact of a low glycemic index (GI) intake vs a high GI intake on sleep patterns.

The glycemic index of foods is a measure of how quickly the food will raise insulin and glucose levels. When the insulin levels rise quickly, the food is a ‘high GI’ food. If it is slow to raise insulin levels, it is considered a ‘low GI’ food. Only foods that provide carbohydrate are even tested, as fats and proteins will not affect the glycemic index.

Researchers fed twelve healthy men between the ages of 18 and 35 diets that were similar in all aspects except the type of carbohydrate they ate. They either received Mahatma rice, which has a GI of 50 (considered low) or they received Jasmine rice, which has a GI of 109. They either were fed these meals 4 hours before bed or 1 hour before bed, with multiple testings.

What they discovered is that the men who ate the high GI meal had a harder time falling asleep than the men who ate the low GI meal.

So what does this mean? First of all, there is a lot of research into the glycemic index and how we can use it to accomplish various goals. For people who want to lose weight, following a low GI diet can help keep them feeling satisfied longer, thus it is easier for them to cut calories and lose weight. Athletes, on the other hand, can take advantage of eating or drinking a food high in GI to improve performance or replenish glycogen stores right after a workout or event. This research indicates that if you suffer from problems falling asleep at night, you may benefit from paying closer attention to the GI of your dinner.

To learn more about the glycemic index, click here; http://www.glycemicindex.com/

To read the abstract of this study, click here: http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/85/2/426