6 Foods to Help You Fall Asleep |
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Did you sleep well last night?
There is nothing more pleasant then waking up refreshed after a good night sleep and then getting ready for a new day.
Studies confirm that good sleep is necessary for normal functioning during the day.
While we are sleeping our body is resting and filling up with energy for a new day.
It is recommended to sleep at least for 7 hours and in order to sleep well you should eat your last meal at least 2 hours before going to bed.
Those who are hungry will have trouble sleeping as well as the ones who have eaten too much.
According to the experts, lack of sleep speeds the aging process and increases the possibility of diseases.
How Do Ingredients Affect Your Sleep
Consuming certain ingredients that are rich in carbohydrates, melatonin, amino acid tryptophan, magnesium and potassium will make you fall asleep quickly and easily.
Bananas, potatoes, walnuts and beans contain vitamin B that will improve the body’s ability to regulate secretion of tryptophan and produce more serotonin – two ingredients that are important for sleep regulation.
Tryptophan relaxes and improves the mood while magnesium relaxes the muscles and helps in reducing stress.
Carbohydrates release more tryptophan which increases the levels of serotonin and melatonin in the brain, hormones that are responsible for sleep.
This is why you will feel sleepier after eating a meal that is rich in carbohydrates.
You will also feel sleepier if you eat food rich in proteins.
The best thing, before going to bed, is to take a meal that contains both, i.e. carbohydrates and proteins – this was emphasized by National Sleep Foundation, the American organization for dream research.
1. Cherries
This fruit is one of the rare ingredients that contain melatonin which controls the biological clock, i.e. the cycle of wakefulness and sleeping.
As melatonin in our body increases we feel sleepier and therefore less time is needed for us to fall asleep.
Various studies showed that drinking one cup of cherry juice can improve the duration and quality of sleep in people suffering from chronic insomnia.
2. Milk
You certainly remember drinking a warm glass of milk that our mothers and grandmothers gave us in order to easily fall asleep.
Milk contains an amino acid tryptophan which our body transforms into a hormone serotonin, also known as hormone of happiness which is essential for good sleep.
Potassium and proteins clam the body. Potassium relaxes the muscles and nerves.
You can also add honey, almonds and cinnamon to your glass of milk that will stimulate intense production of melatonin, a sleep hormone.
Take only organic milk from reliable producers.
3. Jasmin Rice
Jasmin rice is low glycemic food, which means that it is slowly digestible and slowly releases glucose into the blood.
According to 2007 study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Jasmin rice affects sleep.
One research discovered that if you eat Jasmin rice four hours before going to bed, duration of time needed to fall asleep will reduce by half.
4. Bananas
Bananas help you sleep because they contain magnesium and potassium which relax the muscles in a natural way.
They contain carbohydrates that will help you fall asleep.
They are also rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that is responsible for production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect.
Potassium contained in bananas is also necessary for cardiovascular health and cognitive functions.
5. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a low glycemic food. Its consummation will not lead to high or quick blood sugar increase.
They contain compound carbohydrates that will help you sleep and potassium which will relaxes the muscles. Potassium can be also found in potatoes, papaya and beans.
It is recommended to prepare low-fat mash potatoes for dinner to help you sleep.
6. Almonds
Almonds are rich in magnesium and they improve sleep and relax the muscles. They are also a good source of tryptophan.
They keep a stable blood sugar balance during sleep and help you fall asleep by transferring you from the phase of wakefulness to the phase of rest.
Eat a hand full of almonds or slice of integral bread with almond butter.
Food That Should Be Avoided
Dinner is an unavoidable meal that feeds the body while we are sleeping, helping the body to regenerate, grow and create new cells.
It is important to have a light dinner because if you eat too much before going to sleep your body will try to digest everything you have eaten which will hinder your sleep.
It is recommended to eat at least 3-4 hours before going to bed.
If you eat high amounts of fatty or refined food or food with high amounts of sugar you will feel heaviness and lethargy.
Before going to bed you should avoid chocolate, egg plants, tomatoes, potatoes and wine – because they contain tyramine which transforms itself in the body to noradrenalin – a substance that stimulates the brain.
It is also not recommended to take spicy food like ginger, onion or chili peppers.
In order to easily and quickly fall asleep it is important to pay attention to what you put on your plate and eat.
If you don’t want to “count the sheep” during night it is better to adhere to an old traditional proverb that says: Eat breakfast as an emperor, lunch as a king and dinner as a poor man.
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