List of Foods That Promote Sleep
To sleep well, you need a feel-good hormone known as serotonin in your body. And to produce serotonin, you need two things basically: tryptophan and carbohydrates. Tryptophan is an amino acid, which is the main ingredient to produce serotonin. However, by eating high-protein food alone to get tryptophan is not enough. You need carbohydrates, so your body can produce insulin to help empty all other amino acids, and allow only tryptophan to enter the brain. We are going to show a handful of the foods that help you sleep better.
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Bananas
Bananas are a good source of magnesium and potassium, which function as muscle relaxants. They also contain L-tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin and then melatonin; the vital sleep hormone. Moreover, bananas are a carbohydrate-rich food, which help tryptophan reach the brain. Therefore, eating banana a couple of hours before going to sleep helps improve your sleep quality.
Bananas can be found conveniently in stores or at the market year round. It is surely a convenient way to obtain good sleep. Also, do not worry about falling asleep when you consume bananas during daytime. Sleep hormone needs both tryptophan and darkness to produce.
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Almonds
Almonds have a good amount of magnesium, which relaxes your muscles and promotes sleep. They are also a good source of proteins. Proteins play an important role as they help regulate blood sugar levels during your sleep. They help switch you to rest-and-digest cycle from alert adrenaline cycle, which means you attain a better sleep quality. In fact, many experts vote almonds as one of the most excellent sleep-indulging foods on earth. Like banana, almonds are also packed with tryptophan, a calming amino acid that helps you to relax. Therefore, try take snack with almonds about one to two hours before bedtime for a good night sleep.
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Tart Cherry Juice
According to a study, drinking cherry juice before going to bed can help extend your sleep by 25 minutes. The results also suggest that people who consume cherry juice regularly sleep better in general. Experiments have also been done at Northumbria University with the following finding: Montmorency cherry juice triggers the production of melatonin, an important sleep hormone. According to them, drinking tart cherry juice alone is enough for you to have a good-quality sleep.
A study has also been carried out by researchers from the University of Rochester and University of Pennsylvania. Based on their report, a glass of tart cherry juice is all you need to fall asleep fast.
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Yogurt
Yogurt contains I-tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes sleep. The amino acid is converted into melatonin to help you sleep better. I-tryptophan is well taken up by the brain with the presence of carbohydrate. Therefore, taking your yogurt with some biscuits or crackers may provide you a much needed hypnotic effect to improve insomnia. You may also choose another combination, in which granola cereal is served along with the yogurt. According to ABC News, granola cereal is packed with carbohydrates, which can increase the levels of serotonin and make you feel drowsy.
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Honey
Honey is a reliable relaxant and tranquilizer. It has been adopted in the most typical traditional Chinese medicine to overcome insomnia. Honey is loaded with significant amount of glucose, which relaxes your nervous system and calms down your whole body. Try adding honey into herbal tea or lukewarm milk. Drink it just before going to bed and you shall be able to enjoy a restful sleep.
According to a Scottish pharmacist, the ability of honey in lengthening restorative sleep can be attributed to 3 main reasons. Firstly, it makes sure sufficient liver glycogen is stored for as long as 8 hours’ sleep. Secondly, it regulates your blood sugar levels of your body and finally, it stimulates the secretion of melatonin hormone.
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