Hopefully, my previous posts on sleep have had you drifting off to the land of nod as soon as your head hits the pillow (…because my advice has been helpful and not because my blogs are boring!).
Thought I’d just share a couple of diet related tips which I hope help you too.
Bedtime snacks: It’s not great to eat a heavy meal just before bed but a small snack can be relaxing, particularly if it contains a carbohydrate and amino acid tryptophan (eg. dairy products, soy milk, chick peas, lentils, nuts and seeds). According to Michelle Drerup of the Cleveland Clinic, carbs make tryptophan more available to the brain and this make you drowsy. She recommends whole grain crackers spead with peanut butter, cheese and apple or a small bowl of whole grain cereal with milk as good bedtime snacks.
Sleepy time hormones: The body produces a hormone, melatonin, that regulates sleep patterns and we can also get this naturally from some foods. Snack on cherries, grapes and walnuts, which all contain melatonin.
Minerals to munch on: Our body uses magnesium to help keep us calm. Even a small deficiency can prevent relaxation and cause anxiety, so eat up your leafy greens veg, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds and almonds to up your magnesium levels.
Hope these tips give you some ideas for bedtime snacks. I enjoyed researching this blog, 2 of my favourite pass times, food and sleep! Night night….
Ix
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