Foods That Can Help You Sleep

If you had to pick two things that people love doing, eating and sleeping would be pretty high up on that list. But just how compatible are the two? Can foods help you sleep, and more importantly, are there foods that will impede your slumber? I turns out that the answer to both is; yes. Continue reading this article to find out which foods help and which hinder your night time rest.

So what exactly is the link between food and sleep? We know that some foods and drinks will definitely have an effect on you level of alertness. Caffeine is one food that will rev up the body and prevent fatigue and sleep; for a time anyway, then comes the crash. Alcohol is another that has significant effect on consciousness. Alcoholic beverages will tend to make a person tired. And we all know the effect a big meal can have on your alertness and motivation.

So we know foods and beverages can have a significant impact on our level of alertness. How can we choose foods that will help us get to sleep faster, and what foods should we avoid because of their ability to keep us awake at night?

The first bit of advice is to avoid eating a large meal before bed time. This may seem counter intuitive because of how a big meal during the day usually will make us tired. However, the digestion process can disrupt sleep and keep you from falling into a deep sleep. So eat your dinner a few hours before bed to avoid this problem.

The second bit of advice is to not go to bed hungry. This goes along with the tip above, you just need to strike a balance between the two. Being hungry in bed can keep you awake, daydreaming about food. So eat a small, light snack before bed to avoid this problem. Below is a list of snacks that are light and also aid in getting you to sleep:

Almonds. These nuts contain tryptophan, which promotes sleep.

Turkey. Contains high levels of tryptophan. Consider a small turkey sandwich, hold the cheese though. Cheese can be harder to digest and cause gas.

Oatmeal. Simple and hearty, oatmeal contains lots of carbohydrates.

Warm milk. The somniferous powers of a glass of warm milk have been touted for years.

So now that you know what foods to reach for when you want a bed time snack, which foods should you avoid? Below are some no-no bed time foods:

Large beverages. Drinking a lot before bed can cause trips to the bathroom during the night.

Spicy foods. These can cause heart burn, which is exacerbated by laying down and can keep you up.

Sugary foods. Sugar can increase energy in your body and keep you awake longer.

So if you follow these tips you can have food working for you to help you get a good night’s rest rather than against you.