Foods To Eat For Better Sleep

Do you wake up in the middle of the night and struggle to doze off again or are you just waking up in a drowsy stupor in the mornings? There are many factors that affect a great night’s sleep ranging from caffeine to late night television. Your daily exercise certainly plays a role in the quality and quantity of your sleep as does the food that you eat.

There are certain foods that should be eaten and other foods that should be avoided in order for you to get a good night. Foods high in carbs and tryptophan can ensure a restful sleep.

You should have a small snack an hour before bed time as it takes the tryptophan an hour to reach the brain. You should also avoid a heavy dinner before bed time as the stomach will be digesting the food for hours after your meal and the body will be in work mode.

Here are some snack ideas that contain both carbs and tryptophan. Remember to keep the snacks small as their purpose is not that of a meal but that of a snack to induce drowsiness.

• Oatmeal
• Yoghurt
• Hummus
• Warm milk
• Bananas
• Peanut butter
• Potatoes (NOT CRISPS!!)
• Papaya
• Cottage cheese
• A small amount of turkey or chicken in a sandwich
• Chamomile tea

Consequently there are some foods that you should avoid in order to get your 8 hours of uninterrupted beauty rest. Here is the list of foods that you should avoid having before bed time, and I mean don’t have them at least four hours before bed time.

• Large meals
• Foods that give you gas – these will keep you, and possibly your partner in a rather unpleasant state of consciousness.
• Chilies or onions as they may bother your digestive system because they increase the metabolic rate
• Empty carbohydrates like sweets and sugars
• Cold foods – your body’s metabolic rate increases in order to sufficiently warm the food up in order to digest it.
• Alcohol – alcohol may initially put you to sleep but it dehydrates your body and interrupts your sleep. With alcohol you don’t go to sleep, you generally pass out.
• Caffeine, remember that coffee is not the only consumable that contains this stimulant. Caffeine is found in black tea, colas and chocolate. Avoid all these for a great night of sleep.
• Do not smoke before you go to bed. Nicotine is also a stimulant and will not allow your brain to shut down sufficiently. Avoid that late night ciggie and have a peanut butter snack instead.

If you follow these simple tricks your sleep patterns should vastly improve, if however you still suffer from the effects of insomnia and fatigue contact your GP for advice on how to deal with it.

Happy eating!!