Diet and Sleep
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The food you eat not only contributes to the quality of
your weight and general health, but also on how well you sleep.
Some foods help you sleep better. While others can make sleep difficult
or even impossible.
Foods that improve sleep include fruits, green leafy vegetables,
whole grain breads and cereals, and mushrooms. Even spices such
as dill, sage and basil help with sleep problems.
Drinking milk before bedtime, a common method to aid sleep,
is actually effective. Milk actually contains tryptophan,
which can be converted to serotonin, the hormone that controls sleep.
Honey, turkey, egg whites and tuna also contain tryptophan, which
are good night time snacks.
Alternatively, caffeine-rich food and beverages should
be avoided right before going to bed. This includes coffee,
tea, chocolate, cocoa, soft drinks and some medications. Some foods
that are rich in tyramine can also affect sleep. Tyramine actually
causes the release of a substance that stimulates the brain keeping
you awake. This is found in bacon, cheese, sugar, ham or tomatoes.
Spicy foods, on the other hand, may cause gastrointestinal
reflux or heartburn. While sweet or greasy foods can also
cause indigestion and bloating. And though alcohol can make you
sleepy, it actually upsets sleep patterns later in the night resulting
to frequent waking in the night to urinate.
Even how much and when you eat affect sleep patterns.
It is best to keep the last meal of the day light. Eating too much
or heavy meals before sleeping may cause indigestion, heartburn
and discomfort. It is recommended to start with a hearty breakfast,
the main meal of the day around noon, and a light supper early in
the evening.
You may also take vitamins and supplements to aid sleep.
Calcium and magnesium helps induce sleep. Calcium-rich foods include
milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, sardines, salmon, broccoli, tofu,
egg, and calcium-fortified food. Magnesium is found in nuts, almonds,
cashews, beans, and spinach. Vitamins B6 and B12 are often beneficial
and used in the treatment of insomnia. Some of the foods that contain
Vitamin B6 are liver, meat, brown rice, fish, butter, wheat germ,
whole grain cereals, and soybeans. Foods rich in Vitamin B12 include
some plant milks, some soy products and some breakfast cereals.
Be careful on what foods you eat. It can directly
affect the way you sleep. By improving your eating habits, you will
have a better chance at a good night’s sleep.
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