It is no surprise that our food and drinks can help us have a better sleep or can disrupt our sleep cycle. There would have been times you must have read 'one should avoid coffee late in the evening' or things like that.
According to the Sleep Foundation, 35% of the Americans suffer from insomnia and it has been a problem that is on the rise in other countries as well. About seven to nine hours of undisturbed sleep is important to maintain healthy brain, fast metabolism, and keep chronic problems at bay.
In this article, we will look at the foods that can help you get better and more relaxed sleep. If we have foods and drinks to help us sleep better, why not make use of them?
Almonds
According to PubMed Central, almonds boost the levels of melatonin hormones in our body, which is helpful in managing the internal clock of our body and regulating the sleep cycle as well.
Almonds are also rich in magnesium and one ounce of almonds provide 19% of the RDI (Recommended Dietary Intake), which can help improve the sleep quality. Magnesium not only reduces inflammation but also decreases the levels of stress hormone – cortisol – which helps us feel relaxed and enjoy a night of undisturbed sleep.
Kiwi
According to Pubmed Central, kiwi is a low-calorie and highly nutritious fruit that can be eaten before bed since it has the ability to improve sleep quality.
This fruit has proven to improve the sleep quality by 42% and the sleep time from 5% to 13% as compared to the sleep of people who didn't consume the fruit.
Moreover, kiwi is a rich source of vitamin C and provides 71% of the RDI besides the potassium, folate, antioxidants, and trace minerals. It also helps reduce inflammation, manage cholesterol levels, and maintain healthy digestive system.
Walnuts
Walnut is the other food item that helps induce sleep due to increase in levels of melatonin hormone. It is one of the popular and nutritious nut that provides alpha-linolenic acid and omega-3 fatty acid which increase the levels of serotonin.
You can enjoy a handful of walnuts before going to bed. They are also a rich source of vitamins and minerals like manganese, magnesium, copper and phosphorus which help maintain the cholesterol, heart health, and reduce appetite.
White Rice
White rice has gran and germ removed from it unlike the brown rice. It is rich in carbs and lacks fibre. Four ounce of rice contains 22 gram carbs and it also has high glycemic index, which means it increases glucose levels in the blood within few hours of its consumption.
According to Healthline, it helps improve sleep quality and also increases the time for which a person sleeps. One can have an adequate amount of white rice before bed but must be careful as it is high in carbs and low in nutrients.
Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherry juice has been proved to promote sleepiness due to high content of melatonin and that is why it is used to treat the patients of insomnia as well (US NIH). This can help you decide if you want to drink tart cherry juice before bed or not.
Besides improving the sleep quality, it is also a rich source of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants like flavanols and anthocyanins. These brought together can provide greater health benefits to keep you healthy.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is a popular herbal tea, which is taken by people before sleep. Chamomile tea helps reduce anxiety and depression, which can be the main culprits for insomnia or sleepless nights.
According to United States National Institutes of Health, it also keeps inflammation, chronic conditions, cancer, and heart diseases at bay. Chamomile tea contains an antioxidant called apigenin which helps induce sleepiness, which helps patients of insomnia.
Lettuce
According to Medical News Today, lettuce and lettuce oil are believed to have a mild sedative and hypnotic properties and that is the reason researchers claim it to be responsible for a good night's sleep.
The presence of n-butanol fraction or Lactucin in lettuce is responsible for making you fall sleep quicker and for longer period of time. It also reduces inflammation and stress hormones, the factors responsible for disrupting sleep.
Warm Milk
According to Sleep Foundation, drinking warm milk before going to bed will not only improve the quality of sleep but also reduce the number of times one gets up in the middle of the night.
Milk contains amino acids called tryptophan, which is known to improve mood and the levels of serotonin as well as melatonin in the body. Milk can work better to improve sleep if it is accompanied with any physical activity during the day.
Lactose-intolerant people can avoid milk and use other sleep-inducing food to sleep better at night.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)