Food is a powerful tool. Not only does it provide nutrients to our bodies, it also effects our energy and sleep cycles. How you eat can have powerful effects on how you sleep. While many foods act as stimulants to keep us alert and awake, others can encourage sleepiness. If you’re having trouble sleeping at night, it is important to learn what types of food will make you drowsy. Doing so can mean the difference between a restless night and a good night’s sleep.
Dairy Products
Dairy products like cheese, milk and cottage cheese can help make you sleepy, says the AskDrSears website, This is because they contain tryptophan, an amino acid that the brain relies on to build relaxing neurotransmitters. In addition, the calcium found in dairy products encourages the production of sleep-inducing melatonin.
Nuts
ABC2News explains that nuts contain magnesium, a known muscle relaxer. Eat a handful of almonds before bed. Or as the AskDrSears website suggests, try some hazelnuts or peanuts. They are also high in tryptophan. Because tryptophan takes about an hour before it encounters the brain, do not eat your nighttime snack right before you go to bed.
Turkey sandwich
Eat a turkey sandwich before bed to help induce sleepiness. The ABC2News website says that this is why many people feel tired after Thanksgiving dinner, as turkey contains tryptophan. When combined with the carbohydrates found in bread, tryptophan’s effects are magnified.
Carbohydrates stimulate the brain’s release of insulin, which helps clean amino acids from the blood stream, allowing more tryptophan to enter the brain. In turn, the brain produces melatonin and serotonin, sleep-inducing substances.
Oatmeal
The Caring website suggests eating a bowl of oatmeal to help aid sleep. Oatmeal triggers the production of insulin, helping the blood sugar rise naturally. In addition, oats are full of the sleep aid melatonin.
Try oatmeal plain or slice up a few bananas on top. Bananas contain both magnesium and potassium, which are muscle relaxers. They also contain tryptophan.
Cherries
Eat a handful of dried or fresh cherries about an hour before bed. The Caring website says they are naturally full of melatonin, which helps regulate the body’s internal clock. Or you can eat them before a long trip if you want to sleep comfortably in a plane or car.
About this Author
Rose Erickson has been a writer for 20 years. She has written five novels, the first completed when she was only 15 years old. She was published in the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans.
