Good Eats

Foods that Increase Concentration and Defeat Fatigue
by Erin Zimniewicz-Williams

You’re overwhelmed, tired and in serious need of some mental and physical nourishment. You’re stressed. What can you do beyond throwing in the towel and hiding under the covers?

Thankfully, you can relieve stress, increase your ability to concentrate and get more restful sleep by eating certain foods and avoiding others.

Lack of sleep causes many side effects, but most frequently it compromises mood, performance and alertness. It’s a bad cycle: Stress keeps you up at night and releases hormones that affect your mood, decreasing your concentration and increasing your stress.

There are certain foods that can decrease stress and break the cycle. Eating foods rich in B vitamins, namely folic acid, B6 and B12, can stabilize your mood by helping to create serotonin, a chemical that directly affects mood in a positive way and is responsible for relaxation and sleep regulation through its conversion to melatonin. Antioxidants also play a role by attacking the free radicals that are released when you’re stressed. Vitamins C, E and beta-carotene are being heavily researched for their abilities to boost brain power. All of these can be found in fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, carrots, spinach and other dark green, leafy vegetables.

Increasing the quality of your sleep will help your body heal from stress and stabilize your energy and mood. For quality sleep, try to avoid stimulants, like caffeine. Not only does caffeine disrupt your sleep cycle, it also decreases your immune system response and serotonin levels. Caffeine is also dehydrating. When you’re dehydrated, your body puts its resources into maintaining your water balance, leaving you tired and lacking energy. A good practice is to stay away from caffeinated beverages after 2 p.m. Nicotine is also a stimulant, so if you smoke, try to avoid doing so within a few hours of bedtime.

It’s not always what you aren’t eating that affects your energy and sleep; sometimes it’s what you are eating. Alcohol has a tremendous impact on sleep. It is a depressant, so you initially fall asleep faster after consuming it, but its rebound effect often wakes you up in the middle of the night or earlier than planned. Dairy products, spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated drinks, high-fat or highly acidic foods, such as tomatoes and fruit juices, can also kill sleep efforts because they cause heartburn, which is exacerbated by lying down. Try to eat at least three hours prior to lying down to let your stomach empty.

While there is no magic food guaranteed to help you be your best, there are many nutrients that have an impact on your concentration.

For women, the first thing to verify with your doctor is that you aren’t anemic. Low iron is a common problem for women and causes both mental and physical fatigue. Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, and starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, squash, pumpkin and carrots, will give you sustained energy, while animal protein, soy and nuts contain zinc, iron and B vitamins, which will help stabilize your mood.

These foods are also rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which converts into the neurotransmitter serotonin. Dark leafy-green vegetables, in particular, are high in the nutrients needed for the synthesis of serotonin, including folic acid, vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and magnesium. A good breakfast of carbohydrates and protein can help you with energy, concentration and mood as well.

Exercise can also boost energy levels during the day and help give you a more restful sleep by relieving stress. The adrenaline from exercise lasts about two to three hours, so avoid rigorous exercise three hours before bedtime. The adrenaline released during exercise sharpens your thinking, so exercising in the morning can help increase your concentration during your workday.

So the next time you are feeling listless or tired during your day, grab a salad of dark leafy greens and a slice of whole grain bread instead of that mocha latte.

Erin Zimniewicz Williams, C.N., L.M.P., is the owner of EZ Balance in Redmond, Washington. She is a certified nutritionist and licensed massage therapist, as well as a yoga and Pilates instructor.