Everybody needs food to get energy for day to day activity and so is the sleep. A good night sleep makes you perform better and feel better. Number of hours needed for sleep varies with your age, so confirm whether you are getting enough sleep and if not then go on reading about the ideas for better sleep. Because sleep is an important part of your health as it may increase the risk of diseases like obesity, heart disease, diabetes etc.
Have you ever thought what you eat affects how you sleep! Yeah, its true. Some foods do contribute to restful sleep while few others keep you awake. You can simply call them 'sleepers' and 'wakers' respectively.
So, what's the scene behind the relation of food and sleep? Tryptophan, an essential amino acid present in many foods, is the main player. In body, tryptophan is metabolized into serotonin and melatonin, neurotransmitters that exert a calming effect and regulates sleep. Thus, tryptophan can be called as sleep boosting amino acid.
Eating carbohydrates, especially complex carbohydrates, with tryptophan-containing foods makes this calming amino acid more available to the brain. A high carbohydrate meal stimulates the release of insulin, which helps clear from the bloodstream those amino acids that compete with tryptophan, allowing more of this natural sleep-inducing amino acid to enter the brain and manufacture sleep- inducing substances, serotonin and melatonin.
Won't it be better if you could pick the right foods to help you get the best sleep possible? And if you knew which foods would hinder your restful slumber, wouldn't you avoid them? Here is a chance to learn which foods to eat, and which to steer clear of for a good night's sleep.
What to eat?
Following are some foods which you should have in your dinner or pre-bedtime snack for a good night's sleep. If you have insomnia problem, a little food in your stomach may help you sleep so think of having snacks before bed.
Before mentioning what to eat, I would like to mention how much to eat? You all would be knowing that a healthy adult needs 2000 calories from diet, and calorie count varies with an individuals health condition, age, gender. It is advised that you should have minimum of them at night since no activity to burn them except sleeping which could burn around 500 cals for a man of 150-160 pounds. Suggested calories to have from dinner are 600, but it may sound better, if you have sleep problems, to have dinner of 400-450 calories and bedtime snack of 150-200 calories. To overcome sleep problems experiment with your food habits to determine your optimum evening meals and snacks.
Milk: You all would have heard that drinking a glass of warm milk before you go to bed is good. Why is it so? One of the reason is it's magical ability, to send us off to dreamland which lies in it's tryptophan content, a sleep-promoting substance. So, don't miss it if you are seeking a better sleep.
Other dairy products like yogurt and cheese are also high in tryptophan so they will also contribute for better sleep. Find number of yogurt recipes, cheese recipes at food2goodhealth.com
Additionally, calcium which is present in dairy foods is effective in stress reduction and stabilization of nerve fibers, including those in the brain. So, a serving of your favorite Greek yogurt before bed can not only help you sleep, but also help you stop worrying about the weird things your boss might have said earlier at work. You can also go for yogurt and crackers, bread and cheese to achieve a combination of tryptophan and carb.
Almond butter: Jacob Teitelbaum, MD of medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers says, almonds promote both sleep and muscle relaxation due to their magnesium content. They have the added benefit of supplying proteins that can help maintain a stable blood sugar level while sleeping, and help promote sleep by switching you from your alert adrenaline cycle to your rest-and-digest cycle. So try almond butter, or any other almond snack or few almonds to help your body relax.
Oatmeal: Your breakfast partner which is a good source of complex carbohydrates is also rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon and potassium and so it supports you sleep. But go easy on the sweeteners; too much sugar before bed can have an anti-calming effect. Instead, consider topping your bowl with fruit, like bananas. So, think of having a small bowl of whole grain, low sugar cereal.
Bananas: Bananas contain not only tryptophan but potassium and magnesium too, which helps in relaxing your overstressed muscles. You can take a banana with one cup of soy milk or low fat milk.
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Bread: Another options to get complex carbs in your prebedtime snack are plain bagel or french bread. Simple carbs can put you on a 'sugar roller coaster' and drop your blood sugar while you're sleeping, causing you to wake at 2 or 3 in the morning. Complex carbohydrate-rich foods increase the availability of tryptophan in the bloodstream, increasing the sleep-inducing effects. So try to eat snack which has complex carbs and protein to stay asleep.
Soybean: The natural estrogen-like compounds found in soy-based products can be very beneficial in controlling those nighttime hot flashes that can disturb your sleep. If you're dealing with menopause-related symptoms adding soybean in your meal would be an added benefit to seek a better sleep. Following are some suggestions for soybean recipes:
Potato Stuffed With Soybeans
Roasted Garlic And Soybean Hummus
Tomato Edamame Salad
Miso soup: Miso contains amino acids that may boost the production of melatonin, a natural hormone that helps induce the yawns. Warm liquids like soup and tea can also relieve cold symptoms, helping you sleep better when you're feeling under the weather. So, isn't it a good idea to keep a few packs of instant miso soup at home to have when falling asleep is at problem?
Chamomile tea: Dr. Teitelbaum says, it is a very helpful and safe sleep aid. In addition, green tea is another good choice. Green tea contains theanine, which helps promote sleep. Remember to get a decaf green tea if drinking it at bedtime. So trying a 1-cup serving of the hot stuff should not be a big deal, right?
Cherry juice: It may look odd but a glass of cherry juice can be an effective way to fall asleep faster, says a team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and University of Rochester. They found that cherries, particularly tart cherries, naturally boosted the body's supply of melatonin, which helped people with insomnia. Though it's not sure how much juice or how many cherries are needed to make you feel sleepy, experts say sipping a glass of cherry juice or having a serving of fresh, frozen or dried cherries before bedtime couldn't hurt.
Other foods in the list, due to their tryptophan content, include; White eggs, Turkey, Shrimp, Cod, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Pistachio, Cashew. And those with carbohydrates include; mashed potatoes, red baked potatoes, low calorie crackers etc.
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What to Avoid?
Nutrients that make tryptophan less available can disturb sleep. Eating a high-protein meal without accompanying carbohydrates may keep you awake, since protein-rich foods also contain the amino acid, tyrosine, which perks up the brain. Stop noshing two hours before bedtime to give your body enough time to properly digest.
Burger and Fries: As if you needed another reason to avoid high-fat foods, research shows that people who often eat high-fat foods not only gain weight, they also experience a disruption of their sleep cycles. A heavy meal activates digestion, which can lead to nighttime trips to the bathroom.
Caffeine: It's no wonder that an evening cup of coffee will disrupt your sleep. Even moderate caffeine can cause sleep disturbances, to add in are sources like chocolate, cola, tea, and decaffeinated coffee. For better sleep, cut all caffeine from your diet four to six hours before bedtime.
Red Bull and other energy drinks are high in caffeine as well as the amino acid taurine, which boosts alertness and adrenaline. Recent studies have shown that even if you drink energy drinks early in the day, the combined high dosage of taurine and caffeine can make it hard to sleep, or to sleep well, later on.
Some over-the-counter and prescription drugs such as pain relievers, weight loss pills, diuretics, and cold medicines can also contain caffeine. Check the label of nonprescription drugs or the prescription drug information sheet to see if your medicine interferes with sleep or can cause insomnia.
Preserved and smoked meats: Ham, bacon, sausages, and smoked meats contain high levels of the amino acid tyramine, which triggers the brain to release norepinephrine, a brain stimulant that makes feel alert and wired. Slap your hand away when it reaches to make a ham sandwich as an evening snack!
Nightcap: A drink or two may make you feel more relaxed after dinner, but it comes back to haunt you a few hours later, by frequent awakenings, less restful sleep, headaches, night sweats and nightmares. Wine is high in the stimulant tyrosine as well.
If you're consuming alcohol in the evening, balance each drink with a glass of water to dilute the alcohol's effects. For a good night's sleep, the better bet is to avoid alcohol four to six hours before bedtime.
Spicy Foods: Tomato sauce, chili, pizza or other spicy and acidic foods can cause reflux, heartburn, and other symptoms that interrupt sleep. So try to avoid foods which cause digestive disturbances.
Fluids: It may be surprising that fluids are in 'to avoid list'. You don't really have to avoid water or juices but have to cut them before bed. Staying hydrated throughout the day is great for your body, but fluid intake before bed can interrupt sleep if you're constantly getting up to go to the bathroom.
Smoking: Nicotine present in tobacco is a stimulant like caffeine. Avoid smoking before bedtime or if you wake up in the middle of the night.
Along with foods there are other factors too which affect your sleep, like physical activity, lifestyle. So don't rely only on foods, for better sleep. And when you consider diet as a factor for getting soothing ZZZs then tryptophan-rich foods, small pre-bedtime snack consisting of protein and carbohydrates, meal within 4 hours of bedtime, light bedtime snack at least 1 hour before going to bed are the points to remember.
I hope, these 'to have and not to have' ideas will help you keep away the trouble of sleeping. So, when are you going for it?
Have a good night sleep!
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