Good foods to help you sleep better

Some people have trouble falling asleep. Others can’t stay asleep. And then there are the people who have trouble turning life “off” and tucking into bed at a reasonable hour.

Can’t get to sleep? Then that might be because you are eating the wrong foods, just before you go to bed. When you get peckish at night, but you still want to make sure that you get a good night’s sleep, try some of these satisfying late night snacks that will fill you up and help you get some shut eye:

Oatmeal
One of the good foods to eat before bed is oatmeal. Most people eat oatmeal for breakfast, but it also makes a great late night snack. It is warm and comforting and it also contains the sleep inducing minerals: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.

Milk And Cereal
Although drinking a glass of warm milk after dinner is a popular remedy for treating sleeplessness, studies have shown that milk alone cannot boost production of melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep. To sleep better, it is advisable to combine milk with healthy carbohydrate such as whole grain cereal. A bowl of milk and cereal is the ideal after-dinner snack for people struggling with sleeping problems. While milk supplies the body tryptophan, carbohydrate increases availability of tryptophan in the brain.

Cherries
Cherries are very good at boosting the body’s supply of melatonin, which has been found in studies, to help people who suffer from insomnia get to sleep quicker. Eating a bowl of cherries before bed, or drinking a glass of cherry juice, will help you nod off quickly.

Almonds, but not too many
Almonds are a great night time snack, because they contain proteins, which help to keep the blood sugar levels stable, and they are a good source of magnesium, which relaxes the muscles and promotes sleep, but don’t overeat them, as they are also a very high calorie food.

Banana or freshly made smoothie
A banana is a surprisingly satisfying snack and is perfect for a late night treat. They are an excellent source of potassium and magnesium, which help to relax the muscles and they also contain serotonin, which the body uses to create hormones that calm you down. If you don’t like eating plain bananas, try to throw in your blender one banana, a handful of fresh berries and a little water, and enjoy wonderful and satisfying nighttime smoothie.

Fresh herbs
Fresh herbs have a fantastic calming effect on the body, so try making up tour own homemade pasta sauce with basil and sage. Homemade is better, because it will contain less salt and sugar too.

Oily Fish
Eating fatty fish daily can help you to sleep better. Studies have shown that people who eat oily fish such as salmon, tuna and halibut frequently sleep for a longer time and wake up less in the night. The benefit of consuming oily fish is attributed to the omega-3 fat DHA found in fish oil. High level of DHA in the brain improves communication between nerve cells that plays an important role in improving sleep.

Hard-boiled eggs
Hard boiled egg is another one of good foods to eat before bed. One reason that you might be finding it difficult to sleep is that you are eating too much sugar at night, which gives you a blood sugar level spike that will keep you awake. If you eat a hard-boiled egg, it will sustain you through the night without giving you that peak in alertness.

Dark chocolate
Stay away from milk chocolate, in the evening, which works as a stimulant, it will keep you awake. Dark chocolate is OK though; it contains serotonin, which relaxes your body and dark chocolate is much better for you anyway.

Whole grain bread
What you don’t need, just before bedtime, are any simple carbohydrates like those contained in candy or soda. They will create a sugar spike that will keep you awake to start with, and leave you feeling hungry later on. Whole grain foods, however, are digested more slowly, so they will leave you feeling satisfied and give a more steady release of nutrition.

Herbal tea
Herbal tea is another one of good foods to eat before bed or, to be more precise, drinks to drink before going to sleep. Avoid regular tea, because that contains caffeine, but herbal teas, such as chamomile tea or green tea, can have a soothing effect on the nerves and aid sleep.

Bedtime breakfast cereal with fresh berries
A bowl of breakfast cereal with some fresh berries in it, just before you go to bed, is an ideal snack. It can contain many of the ingredients that we have already listed: honey, whole grain, protein from the milk and you can choose the low sugar varieties to avoid the sugar spike. It’s the prefect night time snack to leave you satisfied and sleepy, just when you need it.