You must have often heard about stimulants like tea, coffee, or alcohol, which are likely to interfere with your sleep pattern and quality if consumed close to your sleeping hours. But, did you know about some of the foods and beverages that can actually help you have a good night’s sleep? If not, here are some of the sleep-inducing foods, that will help you sleep better at night and wake up calm and relaxed.
- Warm Milk
You must have heard it from your grandma, have a glass of warm milk before sleeping. The actual reason behind it is that milk contains tryptophan, along with calcium, melatonin, and vitamin D. All these four are sleep-promoting compounds. For a little flavor and additional health benefits, you can also add turmeric to it.
2. Nuts
All nuts in varied amounts consist of minerals like magnesium, tryptophan, etc. along with melatonin. Some studies have shown that a combination of these contents helps in dealing with insomnia.
3. Chamomile Tea
One of the most famous amongst the tea family, chamomile tea is considered to relieve stress and anxiety, which in turn helps to fall asleep better and faster. It contains flavonoids and apigenin, antioxidants, that are known to reduce insomnia.
4. Kiwi
Vitamin C rich fruit, Kiwi is low in calories and high in nutrients. They contain antioxidants, melatonin, folate, magnesium, etc. all of which are known to help in promoting sleep.
5. Turkey
No wonder why people enjoy a good night’s sleep after having turkey for dinner on Thanksgiving. Turkey is rich in protein as well as tryptophan, which promotes tiredness and as a result helps you sleep better.
6. Fatty Fish
Being a good source of vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, etc. help in regulating serotonin. It also helps in improving the sleep quality and sleep cycle.
Other Tips To Keep In Mind
Apart from taking care of your dietary habits, here is what you need to keep in mind:
- Avoid screen before bedtime
- Avoid any kind of foods or drinks that have the possibility of having caffeine in it
- Avoid smoking, especially before bedtime
- Do not consume too heavy, too spicy, and too sugary food
- Keep yourself hydrated
- Include a regular workout session in your routine
- Have a gap of 2-3 hours between meal and sleep time
- Meditate to keep your mind calm and relaxed
- Avoid daytime sleeping. A quick nap of 15-20 minutes can be considered
A healthy body and a relaxed mind can help you sleep better, improve your sleep cycle as well as the quality of sleep. Maintain healthy dietary habits and a proper lifestyle to avoid flipping in bed at midnight.