The Best And Worst Foods To Have Before You Sleep

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‘Early to bed and early to rise, makes you healthy, wealthy and wise’.We all grew up singing this rhyme and to this day we acknowledge the fact that at least 7 hours of sleep is what keeps you healthy. However, simply going to bed on time won’t ensure a sound sleep and of course a better health. It has a lot to do with the quality of your sleep as well. A healthy sleep depends a lot on what you ate in your dinner. If you are one of those who have problems falling asleep, read on to know about some of the best and worst foods to have before you hit the bed:

FOODS THAT ARE GOOD FOR SLEEP

1 . Cherries

Cherries contain melatonin, which is a sleep regulating hormone. A study shows that drinking 200ml tart cherry juice twice a day helps in increasing sleep quality and duration. This is an excellent remedy for people suffering from insomnia. Drink a glass of cherry juice before going to bed. You can add some water if you do not like its taste.

2 . Kiwis

Two characteristics of the fruit make it a must have before crashing onto the bed. It has high levels of antioxidants and serotonin which is a hormone related to sleep. Low levels of serotonin leads to insomnia. Munch two kiwis an hour before sleep.

3 . Walnuts

Like cherries, walnut is also a source of melatonin. Eating a handful of walnuts will help you sail through the night. A word of caution, since nuts are high on calories, just 20-30 grams of it would be sufficient.

4 . Bananas

They are source of potassium and magnesium, a muscle relaxing agents. In addition, they contain amino acid tryptophan which the body converts to serotonin. Plus, they are source of carbohydrates which will make you feel sleepy as well. Grab a banana instead of popping a sleeping pill.

5 . Leafy Green Vegetables

Leafy green vegetables such as turnip green and spinach have calcium which is used by the brain to produce sleep inducing hormone melatonin. Try leafy vegetables salad for dinner.

6 . Almond Butter

Almond butter is a source of magnesium, low levels of which are related to insomnia. Munch a whole grain toast coated with almond butter as a pre sleep snack.

FOODS THAT ARE BAD FOR SLEEP

1 . Foods With Caffeine

Avoid dark chocolates, energy drink, cold drinks, coffees that are high on caffeine. Caffeine affects body in a way that it makes you hard to fall asleep. Caffeine is related to alertness and hence it alerts the nervous system making it difficult to sleep.

2 . Alcohol

Alcohol affects the sleep pattern. Hence, you will not get quality sleep. It is a widely accepted fact that consuming alcohol makes you feel sleepy, but you wake up after an hour or so. After which, it becomes difficult to sleep. So, limit the alcohol intake before sleep.

3 . High Protein Foods

Digestion of protein is a slow process and it is further slowed by almost 50% when a person sleeps. The body, instead of focusing on sleep focuses on digesting these proteins.So, it is best to eat a proteins for breakfast and lunch and have a light dinner for a good night’s sleep.

4 . High Fat Foods

Just like proteins, fats take longer time to digest. So say no to the fried foods, ice creams, chips and deep fried foods just before your sleep time.

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As a famous rule of thumb says, eat maximum in the breakfast and least during dinner. However, you should never sleep empty stomach and have a low calorie meal before bedtime.So, go ahead and choose what you eat wisely and enjoy a relaxing and sound sleep through the night. Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy!

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4 thoughts on “The Best And Worst Foods To Have Before You Sleep

  1. Pregnancy Breakfast

    I don’t know why but when I drink some coffee at night, I sleep really well 🙂 . But thank for the information, my brother is in the insomnia recently, I will have him ate some bananas before sleep.

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