The link between sodium and blood pressure is fairly well known. But did you know sodium can also affect your sleep?
With too much salt in your bloodstream you may not sleep well that night — and feel tired or groggy the next day. Not a surprise considering how much sodium can be in just a few slices of pizza. If topped with pepperoni or other toppings — the sodium content will be even higher.
The more control you have over your eating habits, by reducing your salt intake and eating more whole, unprocessed foods, the more likely you will lower your risk for heart disease and sleep better at night — which will lead to feeling better every day.
The result may be restless sleep, frequent awakenings and not feeling rested in the morning. Learn more about vaccine availability. Advertising Policy. That is why the U. Food and Drug Administration is working with the food industry to make reasonable reductions in sodium across a wide variety of foods. Even though sodium may already be in many packaged foods when you purchase them, you can lower your daily sodium intake by using the Nutrition Facts label.
But remember, the sodium content can vary significantly between similar types of foods. Table salt also known by its chemical name, sodium chloride is a crystal-like compound that is abundant in nature. Sodium is a mineral, and one of the chemical elements found in salt. As a food ingredient, sodium has multiple uses, such as for curing meat, baking, thickening, retaining moisture, enhancing flavor including the flavor of other ingredients , and as a preservative.
Also, some foods that you may eat several times a day such as breads can add up to a lot of sodium over the course of a day, even though an individual serving may not be high in sodium. You can also check for nutrient claims on food and beverage packages to quickly identify those that may contain less sodium. All mammals have the desire to eat these bad foods.
The amount of salt that is available today, just like the amount of sugar that is available today, is far beyond what we were meant to have in our diets. Rachel Johnson, professor of nutrition at the University of Vermont in Burlington:. Excess sodium increases blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body, and that creates an added burden on the heart. Too much sodium will increase your risk of stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease.
And, 1 in 3 Americans will develop high blood pressure in their lifetime. Limiting your sodium is tough because about 75 percent of sodium in Americans' diets comes from processed or prepared foods, not salt that we add at the table. If you're a savvy nutrition label reader, it can be shocking. Even foods such as breads and cereals can have high amounts of salt.
We call it a silent killer because a lot of people don't realize they have high blood pressure. Marisa Moore, registered dietician and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:.
The average American eats about 3, milligrams sodium a day, but the recommended amount for a healthy person is 2, milligrams a day. For people with high blood pressure or diabetes, African Americans, and anyone who is age 51 or older, the daily recommendation is 1, milligrams of sodium.
For most people, a high sodium diet can lead to retaining fluid. And for some sensitive people, retaining fluid can lead to higher blood pressure, which puts someone at higher risk of stroke, heart disease and kidney disease.
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