Which foods can be used to enjoy good sleep? Medical expert Sammy Margo says you can enjoy a good night’s sleep just by choosing the right food before going to bed. According to medical research, certain foods help us get a good night’s sleep, while certain wrong foods can disturb our sleep.
Five foods you should eat before bed
Almonds
Almonds are considered the best source of healthy fats. The tryptophan and magnesium in almonds naturally help stabilize your heart rate as well as reduce stress on muscles and nerves.
Barley
Rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids, this diet promotes the sleep-promoting substance melatonin, which stimulates the body’s production of insulin to naturally regulate blood sugar.
Honey
Just a teaspoon of honey is enough to stimulate the release of melatonin in the brain and shut down orexin (which keeps the brain alert). Thus it helps you get a good sleep.
Bananas
Although bananas are generally considered an energy-boosting food, they are rich in magnesium, which relaxes the muscles, and contain substances like serotonin and melatonin, which help promote good sleep.
Turkey
Rich in tryptophan, turkey is a great source of protein and will keep you full so you won’t wake up at night feeling hungry.
Avoid these foods before going to bed
Wines
A glass of wine (or your favorite liquor) can make you drowsy while sitting up, but alcohol prevents you from falling into deep sleep. So avoid drinking it before going to bed.
Cheese
You must have heard from various people that they have strange dreams after eating a lot of cheese. Hard cheese is high in the amino acid tyramine, which actually makes the brain more alert, so despite our cravings for cheese after dinner, we have to pull ourselves away from it to get a good night’s sleep.
Spicy food
Have you ever experienced indigestion after eating curry for dinner? Red peppers contain capsaicin, which after eating can make it difficult for your body to regulate its temperature, thus disrupting your sleep at night.
Fatty food
Your stomach cannot digest food rich in fat as quickly, it takes a long time to digest and is more likely to cause heartburn, which makes it difficult to fall asleep.
Fatty foods like steak are high in protein, which digests very slowly and also affects our circadian rhythms.
Coffee
The obvious reason to avoid drinking coffee before going to bed is the caffeine it contains. It keeps your body system active for a long time and you can feel its effects even after ten hours. That is why it is better to avoid drinking coffee before going to bed.
According to medical experts, certain foods and drinks make us feel good, but a diet rich in spices, caffeine, fat and protein can be destructive to our sleep. You may experience heartburn and nighttime restlessness.
Drinks before bed can make you drowsy, but drinking too much alcohol can prevent you from entering deep sleep and result in groggy sleep the next day.
So unfortunately many of the delicious things on the dinner table at night are not exactly helpful in our fight against insomnia.
The solution is probably a bowl of oatmeal with honey, bananas, and almonds, and yes, you can wash your hands over the turkey.
