Our diet has a huge role to play in the amount and the quality of sleep we get, especially the kind of food we eat right before we are about to go to sleep, has the potential to affect our sleep big time.
Hence it is important to choose the right foods and eat in the right quantities which should aid us in getting a good night’s rest.
EAT IN REGULAR INTERVALS AND DON’T SKIP MEALS
Don’t skip meals. Those who have trouble sleeping should eat at regular intervals, so that the body can get used to a specific routine which aids in timely secretion of hormones which are essential for a good night’s sleep. When you resort to irregular eating habits, the body gets confused and hence it affects your sleep as well.
SKIP THE SPICY FOOD BEFORE BED
Spicy foods are less easy to digest. It is a more tedious process which takes a much longer time, so it is better that you avoid eating something too spicy right before you go to bed.
TRY VALERIAN ROOT
Valerian root is a kind of plant root which has been consumed for ages now to induce sleep. Even though availability might be an issue, it is a very good bet.
DRINK A GLASS OF MILK RIGHT BEFORE HITTING BED
A glass of milk right when you’re about to hit the bed can actually grant you a good quality sleep, because tryptophan is easily converted to melatonin which then induces sleep.
EAT MORE CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates make serotonin and tryptophan available to the brain which relaxes you and helps you fall asleep. In fact according to research in the University of Pennsylvania, a diet low on carbohydrates can in fact hamper sleep.
STOP EATING AT LEAST ONE HOUR BEFORE BED
Since food takes time to digest, try eating at least an hour ahead of bed time, because trying to sleep right after having your dinner will invariably disturb your sleep because food will take even more time to digest as your body then will be motionless, so that the fat takes a longer time to burn.
CONSUME FOODS RICH IN MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is a nutrient which is available in plenty in green leafy vegetables, fish, dark chocolate, peanuts and yogurt and contributes to relaxation of the mind.
AVOID EATING FATTY FOODS BEFORE BED
High fat meals just like spicy foods can be hard on your digestive system and thus should be avoided at a time when you’re about the hit the bed so that the body isn’t functioning hard to digest food when it is supposed to rather relax.
EAT A BALANCED DIET
A balanced diet helps in keeping the blood glucose level and hormones in check which consecutively affects your sleep. According to the University of Pennsylvania, all kinds of nutrients in proper amounts are important for the body which includes protein, carbohydrates, fats, etc. which helps in the releases of hormones that aid in acquiring a good sleep.
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Researchers have discovered that as much as a balanced diet is important to keep the body functioning in the ideal way and contribute to good quality sleep, water too is essential for a good sleep.
DON’T DRINK WATER JUST BEFORE GOING TO SLEEP
However it doesn’t mean that you can skip drinking water throughout the day and finish a litre just while you’re about to go to bed. Water consumed just during bed time can in fact rather keep you awake instead of putting you to sleep. So avoid drinking too much water two hours before you hit the bed.
Thus, here is how you can manipulate your diet to contribute to a good sleeping pattern.
