Diet
& Sleep
The
food you eat not only contributes to the quality of your
weight and general health, but also on how well you
sleep. Some foods help you sleep better. While others
can make sleep difficult or even impossible.
Foods
that improve sleep include fruits, green leafy
vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, and
mushrooms. Even spices such as dill, sage and basil help
with sleep problems.
Drinking
milk before bedtime, a common method to aid sleep, is
actually effective. Milk actually contains tryptophan,
which can be converted to serotonin, the hormone that
controls sleep. Honey, turkey, egg whites and tuna also
contain tryptophan, which are good night time snacks.
Alternatively,
caffeine-rich food and beverages should be avoided right
before going to bed. This includes coffee, tea,
chocolate, cocoa, soft drinks and some medications. Some
foods that are rich in tyramine can also affect sleep.
Tyramine actually causes the release of a substance that
stimulates the brain keeping you awake. This is found in
bacon, cheese, sugar, ham or tomatoes.
Spicy
foods, on the other hand, may cause gastrointestinal
reflux or heartburn. While sweet or greasy foods can
also cause indigestion and bloating. And though alcohol
can make you sleepy, it actually upsets sleep patterns
later in the night resulting to frequent waking in the
night to urinate.
Even
how much and when you eat affect sleep patterns. It is
best to keep the last meal of the day light. Eating too
much or heavy meals before sleeping may cause
indigestion, heartburn and discomfort. It is recommended
to start with a hearty breakfast, the main meal of the
day around noon, and a light supper early in the
evening.
You
may also take vitamins and supplements to aid sleep.
Calcium and magnesium helps induce sleep. Calcium-rich
foods include milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, sardines,
salmon, broccoli, tofu, egg, and calcium-fortified food.
Magnesium is found in nuts, almonds, cashews, beans, and
spinach. Vitamins B6 and B12 are often beneficial and
used in the treatment of insomnia. Some of the foods
that contain Vitamin B6 are liver, meat, brown rice,
fish, butter, wheat germ, whole grain cereals, and
soybeans. Foods rich in Vitamin B12 include some plant
milks, some soy products and some breakfast cereals.
Be careful on what foods you eat. It can directly affect the way you
sleep. By improving your eating habits, you will have a
better chance at a good night’s sleep.
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