Sleep stabilises the immune system, sharpens the brain, cuts the risk of heart disease, trims waistlines and makes skin look healthy and youthful. And those are just some of the major health and beauty benefits that highlight how important it is.
Yet, for many people sleep can be elusive. However, the good news is there are certain foods that are known to be helpful in inducing sleep. Here’s what you should add to your daily meals for a sound slumber.
1. Fish
Fish like salmon, halibut and tuna are full of vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness).
2. Bananas
Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium, Vitamin B6 and potassium, which help to relax overstressed muscles. They also contain tryptophan, which convert to serotonin and melatonin, the brain’s key calming hormones.
3. Walnuts
These nuts are a great source of tryptophan, which is a sleep enchanting amino acid that helps make serotonin and melatonin, the body clock hormone that sets your sleep-wake cycle. They are also a source of melatonin, which may help you fall asleep faster.
4. Cereal
A ball of low sugar whole grain cereal before going to bed is great. Complex carbohydrate–rich foods increase the availability of tryptophan in the bloodstream, increasing sleep-inducing effects.
5. Chamomile tea
Drinking a cup of chamomile tea will help you sleep. The hot drink is associated with an increase of glycine, a chemical that relaxes nerves and muscles and acts like a mild sedative.
6. Passion fruit tea
Drinking passion fruit tea one hour before going to bed will help you sleep more soundly. The harman alkaloids found in this kind of tea act on your nervous system to make you ready to sleep.
7. Milk
A cup of warm milk is full of calcium, which is known to be effective in stress reduction and stabilisation of nerve fibres, including those in the brain.
8. Honey
It seems like honey is a remedy for everything because it includes natural sugar that slightly raises insulin and allows tryptophan to enter the brain easily. A spoon before you go to bed mixed with herbal tea will give you a restful sleep.
9. Hummus
The Arabic dish is chickpea-based, and they are a great source of tryptophan and vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin that helps you sleep better. Eat with whole grain crackers to help it reach the brain easier.
10. Almonds
These tasty nuts contain magnesium, which promotes sleep and muscle relaxation. They also supply your body with proteins that can help maintain a stable blood sugar level while sleeping.
11. Watermelon
This fruit contains lycopene, which helps the body to relax and stimulates the brain for good sleep. Lycopene is also found in grapefruit, tomatoes and papaya.
12. Foods rich in carbohydrates
According to a study in “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”, eating easily digested carbs (such as cereal, rice, potatoes or white bread) four hours before bedtime led people to fall asleep faster.
