Like many folks, I have some sleep issues and often don’t get a good, restful night’s sleep. This has a deleterious effect on my day, mood, mind, productivity, and so much more. The past few months, it’s become standard to have bad sleep multiple nights a week.
So imagine my surprise a few weeks back when I felt an odd (for nighttime) craving and drank some kefir right before I went to bed. The result was a most relaxing, wonderful night’s sleep – I woke up rested, refreshed, and my energy just oozed while everything was clear and not fuzzy from fatigue. I felt like a new man! I didn’t stop to consider what had led to that good sleep, I was just thankful and got on with my day.
The next week, as I was putting things away before heading up to get ready for bed, I opened the fridge and saw the kefir in the door and idly reflected on that restful sleep and wondered if the kefir was its cause. So I filled up a nice glassful, drank it, then rinsed the glass with water which I then drank before I headed up. I’m pleased to report that the result was the same – blissful sleep. I went to sleep and woke up without many wake-ups during the night, trouble falling asleep, trouble falling back asleep, etc. It seems to really do something for me – at minimum, I was much less restless.
I tried it the next night and had the same result. Aha – a pattern! Due to my wacky schedule and situation, I didn’t fully embrace the kefir before bed plan, and with the Thanksgiving holiday and such, it wasn’t as practical. But, now that life is getting back to normal, I thought I’d share this insight in hopes that it leads some of you to the promised land of longer, better sleep. It’s a great thing to add to your diet in general, like a super-yogurt, and then some, and I’ve been trying to have some with breakfast each morning, but I’m loving this night effect. It helps me greatly but is no panacea.
I’m sure most of you are like, “what the hell is kefir”? Kefir is a fermented milk product, often mixed with some fruit for flavoring and sweetness. It’s like a yogurt shake, with a bit of funk and originated in the Caucuses. I’ve only tried cow milk-derived kefir, which I’d noticed for years in the dairy section.
Earlier this summer, I learned that having a glass a day can have a lot of good effects on your health and mood and decided to introduce it into my diet. It’s a massive source of probiotics, not to mention that it’s yummy and it’s full of all kinds of vitamins and nutrients, plus I’m partial to a lot of fermented foods. For the first few days, it might seem a bit funky, but soon you develop a strong love for it and you wonder how you never knew something so healthy, simple, and good was available. So in general, kefir is a very good addition to one’s diet, but for those of us plagued by sleep issues, this may very well help you find some peace and joy.
Enjoy and good sleep to you all!
