Longevity expert Mark Kovacs says that increasing protein intake can have a surprising benefit: better sleep. According to Kovacs, protein plays a crucial role in sleep quality, and adequate protein intake supports better sleep quality, which extends throughout the body.

How Protein Affects Sleep

Protein provides the amino acids that serve as building blocks for neurotransmitters involved in sleep regulation, such as tryptophan, which helps the body produce serotonin and melatonin. Melatonin regulates our internal body clock, helping us fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.

Adequate protein intake also helps stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the night, reducing the number of nighttime disruptions and improving sleep quality. This means getting enough of each individual sleep stage, like REM and deep sleep, resulting in waking with more energy, feeling physically well-rested, and avoiding brain fog.

Recommended Protein Intake

Kovacs recommends that the average healthy adult consume approximately 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. For highly active individuals, athletes, or adults over 50, protein needs may increase to approximately 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram per day.

As a practical example, a 70-kilogram (154-pound) adult would generally benefit from consuming between 84 and 112 grams of protein daily, while a physically active person of the same weight may benefit from 112 to 154 grams per day.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.