Foods to Have:
Cherry juice 1 cup
Chicken 3 ounces
Salmon (cooked) 3 ounces
Pumpkin seeds 1 ounce
Lettuce 2 cups
Milk 1 cup
Walnuts 1 ounce
Best food groups: Grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy
Also consider: Potatoes and high-carbohydrate foods
What foods help promote sleep and why?
According the CDC, the lack of sleep is now considered a "public health epidemic." Sleep can be negatively influenced by many different factors, from medical illness to side effects of drugs to simply having a lot on your mind. Before trying to remedy your sleep deficit on your own, make sure you investigate what may be behind your sleep difficulties and seek proper professional attention. It could save you time, money, and many more sleepless nights.
Prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids don't address the root cause of a sleep disorder. They are a temporary fix until the driving force behind the problem can be addressed. Diet can play a major role in influencing sleep, from providing something as simple as occupancy in your gut so you don't wake up from a rumbling tummy, to essential nutrients that govern your sleep center. The key nutrients that govern sleep are the B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, the amino acid tryptophan, and the brain chemical melatonin, which can be produced from tryptophan or even consumed in many common foods.
Did you know?
It's recommended to have a small bedtime snack that contains a carbohydrate plus a little protein, no sooner than an hour before bedtime. It is believed that this small, nutrient-balanced snack causes the brain to produce serotonin that helps calm you and lets you drift off to la-la land. Besides heeding the dietary add-in advice from this section, it would be wise to make sure you address this list of sleep stealers first!- Staying up late because you want to: Not getting enough sleep every night can cause you to eat more and feel hungrier, which is another reason it's important to get in the recommended zzzz per night. Skipping out on sleep causes an imbalance of the hormones leptin and ghrelin; this imbalance increases hunger and decreases satiety cues.
- Eating large: Also, eating a large meal after not sleeping well the night before was found to increase grogginess in a group of young men, where their driving skills were being assessed. Those men who ate a big lunch after having had fewer than five hours of sleep experienced more unintentional lane drifting than did those who ate a smaller meal. Friends don't let friends eat big and drive!
- Being overweight: If you're overweight, lose weight for better sleep. A randomized controlled study found that those who cut their calories and lost weight had vast improvements in obstructive sleep apnea. It's also a vicious cycle—being overweight interrupts restful sleep; interrupting restful sleep contributes to obesity.
- Avoid stimulants: Some people have more sensitivity to caffeinated food and beverages than do others. Ironically, your mother-in-law actually finds caffeinated coffee helps her sleep better at night—go figure. But for many, caffeine works as a mild stimulant that causes jitters and gets the brain working into overdrive. If you must have caffeine, make sure you have it no closer than two to three hours to bedtime, as it takes that long for caffeine to begin clearing from your system. Foods and beverages that contain the most caffeine include coffee, green and black tea, energy drinks, caffeinated sodas such as cola and root beer, and chocolate. Even over-the-counter meds such as Excedrin may keep you up at night. The nicotine in cigarettes can also interrupt sleep.
- Avoid alcohol before bedtime: A Spanish study found that subjects' melatonin levels increased when they drank beer, and so did their antioxidant levels. They also found the higher the alcohol percentage, the higher the melatonin and antioxidant status. At first glance, this sounds like a fun answer to a sleep problem. Not so fast! Research shows that a drink or two may help you get to sleep but is disruptive for restful REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
- Eat one but don't be a (couch) potato: Just starting a simple walking routine may be enough to bolster sleep by better management of weight and producing more of the sleep-promoting hormone serotonin. Engaging in more strenuous physical activity right before bedtime is often frowned upon by sleep experts. However, researchers from the University of South Carolina found that men who exercised as close as 30 minutes before bedtime did not experience impaired sleep.
Supplements:
The natural sleep formulas on the market may be worth a try before graduating to an OTC aid or seeking a prescription. A study of long-term care residents found that those who received a supplement containing 225 mg of magnesium, 5 mg of melatonin, and 11 mg of zinc slept better than those who weren't on the supplement. Research on the effectiveness of the herb valerian root is mixed but many feel they get more restful sleep when they take it. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that those who took a supplement containing GABA and 5-hydroxytrytophane went to sleep quicker and stayed asleep longer, compared to the control group.
Cherry Juice
Three separate studies have looked at the melatonin content of tart cherries and have established this fruit as one of the top melatonin-containing foods that may prove beneficial in improving sleep quality and duration. In the form of juice, cherries contain more sleep-promoting melatonin.
Did you know?
Eating some carbohydrates before bedtime is one of the best fuels for cranking out sleep-promoting serotonin. But don't have fatty fries or chips. Simple eat some leftover baked potato or pop one into the microwave for a few minutes until it's done, and top with salsa (not too spicy), accompanied by a glass of milk. Potatoes and milk contain potassium, which may prevent leg cramps and calm restless legs, as well as lower blood pressure.
Chicken
We always think of the Thanksgiving turkey as the item being most responsible for lulling us into a state of unconsciousness after the big feast, but to tell the truth, it may be more from the carb overload from the meal than from the tryptophan in turkey. Besides, chicken rules the roost when it comes to tryptophan content, anyway. Tryptophan helps produce serotonin, which in turn makes us feel more relaxed and sleepy.
Salmon
Along with many other nutrients , salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Animal research shows that omega-3-deficient diets negatively affect the sleep hormone melatonin and its function and throw off the natural sleep cycle (our circadian rhythm), which can lead to sleep disturbances. Eating salmon and other fish rich in omega-3s is a good start to bolster proper levels.
Pumpkin Seeds
Low magnesium levels have been associated with inflammatory or oxidative stress and other factors that can interfere with a good night's sleep. Pumpkin seeds are rich in magnesium and also contain the amino acid tryptophan. A study on a close relative of the pumpkin seed found that the seeds were as effective in improving tryptophan levels as tryptophan supplements.
Lettuce
The natural oil that occurs in lettuce has been used in folk medicine as an aid to relaxation and for inducing sleep. A randomized, placebo-controlled study found that those given lettuce oil had markedly better sleep rating scores compared to the control group. Eating simply the lettuce itself (especially nutritious romaine) may help you lull off.
Milk
A glass of warm milk has long been a folk remedy to promote a good night's sleep. Although the scientific literature is a bit thin on backing this up, the nutrients in milk, specifically calcium and tryptophan, are known to induce sleep. Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan, and tryptophan is used to manufacture melatonin. Also, the carbohydrate in milk helps tryptophan work well, too!
Walnuts
Walnuts contain a number of nutrients that support a relaxed and healthy nervous system, including folate, melatonin, omega-3 fats, and vitamin E . Research shows that the melatonin in walnuts is well absorbed and will raise blood melatonin concentrations when eaten in moderation, which in turn will help you get those zzzz's.