Difficulty Sleeping? Eat These Foods Before Bed
Lack of sleep can ruin a lot of things: our
mood, our patience, our focus and our sense of enjoyment in life. We've
all had those sleepless nights. But taking sleeping pills is usually a
problematic strategy, because they don't give you the same natural sleep
that revitalizes you, and they can become quite addictive too. Better
to eat something that will help you fall into a relaxing, renewing, deep
sleep.
Here are five recommended foods to put you to sleep:
1. Frozen Bananas
Frozen bananas can be turned into a thick
and tasty ice-cream. All you need is the right technique of consistent
mixing. The idea is to blend the bananas for several minutes until they
turn into a creamy delight. Add a handful of chopped peanuts for an
extra tryptophan boost (a chemical that is known to relieve tension and
put you to sleep) and you have a great combination.
Not only will the potassium in the bananas help you fall asleep faster,
it can also prevent you from waking up for no reason in the middle of
the night.
2. Halibut
The halibut fish comes with two great
sleeping aids: tryptophan and vitamin B6. It has a meaty, gentle texture
and is recommended for sea food lovers. Other foods rich in tryptophan:
chicken, beef, soy, yogurt, bananas, peanuts and eggs.
3. Mango Shake
Mangos are packed with antioxidants,
proteins, and vitamins. Being naturally sweet they can also help banish
your sugar cravings. To make a mango shake cut up a fresh mango and put
it in the blender. Add a scoop-full of ice, a small scoop of low-fat
Greek yogurt and just a splash of milk or water. To make it a little
sweeter, you can add a bit of honey. And if you don't like mangoes, the
same can be done with strawberries and watermelons.
4. Dried Cherries
A handful of dried cherries won't just
provide you with a dose of carbs and serotonin, it's also one of the
better-known sources of melatonin - a sleep-inducing hormone (also
essential in preventing jet-lag). If that's not enough for you, dried
cherries are also packed with antioxidants.
5. Low-fat Popcorn
The carbs in popcorn will help your body
better utilize tryptophan. This happens because the tryptophan is
converted into serotonin, which is responsible for putting you to sleep
and waking you up every day. Since a heavy meal about 2 hours before
sleep can actually keep you awake at times, a low-calorie popcorn bowl
is a recommended treat for late night snacks. If you want to add some
flavor, we suggest some curry powder or garlic, instead of butter.