Rudrapur, (Uttarakhand) March 26, 2024: A good night’s sleep is important for your health, not only can it make you feel more ‘refreshed’ but it also keeps your brain healthy, lowers inflammation, improves productivity and reduces the risk of developing chronic illnesses. If you’re lacking in sleep it can affect everything from your mood to your immune system.
Foods rich in sleep-promoting nutrients such as melatonin, magnesium, and tryptophan can help regulate sleep-wake cycles, bringing about feelings of relaxation, and alleviating stress and anxiety.
Matt Webster, food expert and founder of Seasoned Pioneers, has explained following six foods that will help you sleep.
Almonds
Just a handful of almonds, or even a spoonful of almond butter, will send you to sleep in no time! Almonds are a great source of magnesium and melatonin, which naturally reduce muscle and nerve function as well as steadying your heartbeat. Magnesium also reduces the levels of cortisol, which is a stress hormone that interrupts sleep.
Cardamom
There are plenty of seasonings and spices that can help you go to sleep and Cardamom is one of them. Cardamom contains phytomelatonin, which is melatonin produced by plants. When combined with milk, not only does Cardamom help to relieve stress and anxiety but will help you to sleep too, and also improve your metabolic rate while you’re sleeping!
Turkey
Ever wonder why you feel so sleepy after a festive lunch? While it’s most likely the amount you’ve eaten, it could also be the turkey. Turkey is high in protein which has the ability to promote tiredness. Consuming protein before bed has been linked to better sleep quality. Turkey also contains the amino acid tryptophan which boosts the production of melatonin.
Tart Cherries
Drinking tart cherry juice before bed can promote sleepiness, as it’s a natural source of melatonin. Cherries have even been studied for their role in treating insomnia. You may struggle to find fresh tart cherries – as they’re less popular than normal sweet ones – so you’ll more likely run into them frozen, dried or in juice form.
Bananas
Bananas are a great source of magnesium and potassium, both being natural muscle and nerve relaxants. Foods high in magnesium are linked to lower stress and anxiety levels, and consuming bananas before bed may help to release stress before you sleep. The vitamin B6 content in bananas also works to increase serotonin, helping you relax even more.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, trout and mackerel are not only good for your overall health but are also great for your sleep quality too. These foods have high levels of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which increase the production of serotonin, a chemical in the brain which helps to regulate the sleep cycle.
Top tips to get the best sleep possible
We should never underestimate the importance of quality sleep – but how many of us get the recommended seven to nine hours a night?
Not many, we’d wager, but routinely missing out on enough shut-eye is well known to increase the risk of several health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and dementia.
- Tire yourself out during the day by keeping busy and active – but make sure to take it easy towards bedtime.
- Don’t take naps during the day.
- It always pays to have an ingrained night-time routine, and to make sure your bedroom is nice and relaxing. This can be achieved by thick curtains or maybe blackout blinds, a comfortable room temperature and cosy bedding. Make sure not to use any electronic devices in bed.
- Cut down or, better still, eliminate caffeine and alcohol in the evening.
- It is impossible to force yourself to sleep. This is why experts advise the slumber-challenged to get up and do something relaxing for a while, such as reading a book. This will eventually make you feel sleepy.
- If you work antisocial shifts, it can be a good idea to enjoy a short nap before your first shift in a run of nights to help with the transition. If you are coming off nights, try a little nap to see you through and then have an early night.
