There are numerous benefits of sleep, including keeping your happy, increasing your concentration and alertness, boosting your immune system and also keeping your weight in check. Unfortunately, more than 50 million Americans are either deprived of sleep or don't get enough of it, resulting in several health problems like heart diseases and hypertension.
Eating your last meal of the day just before retiring to bed may keep one awake and also result in weight gain. Several studies have shown that people to have their meals earlier have better sleep and also lose more weight compared to those who eat late at night, Huffington Post reported.
However, it has been found that eating certain snacks, especially those rich in carbohydrate content, may help one to sleep better, the media outlet quoted Alissa Rumsey of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics saying. Hinting that insulin, which aids metabolism, may have a vital role in this, she said insulin may help to induce sleep. According to Rumsey, eating promotes secretion of insulin and this may promote a healthy circadian pattern.
Often insulin secretion raises blood sugar levels, which can facilitate entry of tryptophan into the brain and, thereby induce sleep. However, one only needs to eat small snacks comprising carbs and proteins - supplying just 150 to 200 calories. In addition, eating foods containing tryptophan, such a dairy products, may also help to promote sleep.
For those struggling with insomnia, here is some good news. Incorporating specific foods can help them to get a good slumber, Eating Well reported. At the same time, one should avoid taking caffeinated beverages like tea or coffee before going to bed.
Tart Cherry Juice: A study found that tart cherry juice, which is rich in melatonin, helps to promote sleep. Adults suffering from chronic insomnia found a lot of relief after drinking a cup of tart cherry juice twice daily.
Yogurt: Dairy products like yogurt and milk are rich in calcium content and one study has suggested that people who suffer from deficiency of this nutrient often find it difficult to fall asleep
Jasmine Rice: According to a study, healthy sleepers who ate supper rich in carbohydrate content along with rice, they fell asleep faster provided the meal included jasmine rice, which has a high glycemic index, compared to any other rice with low GI. Perhaps, this was because their food resulted in secretion of more insulin.
Whole Grains: Barley, bulgur and other whole grains contain elevated amounts of magnesium, which has been found to promote sleep. In fact, absence of this nutrient in diet may make it difficult to stay asleep.
Bananas: This fruit is loaded with potassium along with vitamin B6, two nutrients essential for making melatonin, which induces sleep.
Kale: Aside from dairy products, leafy greens like kale and collards also contain rich amounts of calcium, which has a role in promoting sleep. Deficiency of this mineral makes it difficult to fall asleep.
In addition, there are other snacks that can help to promote sleep if you eat them before going to bed. For instance, eating a tablespoon of almond butter on a whole wheat toast, a small piece of fruit with a tablespoon of peanut butter, half ounce of nuts with 1/4 cup of dried fruit, half cup cereal with milk and a few crackers with cheese may also help to induce sleep.
