It is a common fact that what you eat affects the quality of your sleep. There are many types of foods that people snack on or eat at night that may or may not be good for your sleep.
Actually, it’s just that people are not aware of the content of some foods or how its components affect sleep. Wouldn’t you choose the right foods if you knew they will assist in boosting your beautyrest? On the other hand, if the foods were not a positive contributor would you not avoid them as well? In the first place, get to learn which foods are the best and worst to aid with your sleep.
Tryptophan-rich foods
Dairy products, seafood, and nuts are among the most superior foods that are high in tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that creates niacin, which is important in creating serotonin which on the other hand helps regulate the body sleep cycle and the internal clock as well. Hence. Tryptophan-rich foods are superior if you want to boost your sleep quality. Warm milk, bananas, natural organic honey, and eggs assist a lot in promoting the quality and quantity of sleep due to them having tryptophan in them.
Bedtime snack
There are a variety of bedtime snacks that aid with sleep based on their components. For instance, as discussed earlier foods high on tryptophan and those with a high glycemic index are the best. One of the superior bedtime snack since old times is milk and any foods made of dairy. Therefore, yogurt, cheese, and cereal are best to aid sleep since of tryptophan and the calcium assists as well since it helps regulate muscle movement. Snacking on pretzels and corn chips due to the high glycemic index that is the level of their carbohydrate, they will spike your insulin level and help you sleep faster.
Nourish your Crab craving
Starchy carbohydrates before going to bed help you sleep fast. Mainly because they raise your blood sugar since they have a high glycemic index especially when eaten three hours before bedtime. Hence, when making dinner consider adding some of these carbohydrate-based foods like white rice which boosts the two brain chemicals the serotonin and tryptophan that help a lot in sleep. get some sweet potatoes, bananas or oats in small portions if you need to snack at night or if you have a carb craving and you don’t want to interfere with your sleep.
Medication
In as much as, medicine is consumed it may be superior or inferior in affecting the sleep cycle. Whether it is as a supplement or for treatment of a certain ailment it can trigger the sleeping pattern if it contains caffeine. Medications that contain caffeine, for instance, pain relievers, weight loss pills, cold medicine, diuretics most have caffeine that exceeds a cup of coffee. Hence, as you get prescriptions to ask whether it interferes with sleep or can cause any sleep disorders like insomnia.
Skip the booze
Do people have the notion that alcohol helps you sleep faster, but is it quality sleep? This is an inferior type of food for sleep since it causes a lot of tossing and turning, headaches, random awakenings, and night sweats. Once you start getting irregular sleep patterns due to the effects of alcohol a lot of activities and the flow of things in your life get affected. Therefore, it is advised to skip the booze prior to bed and maybe have it at least 4 hours prior to going to bed. Possibly, for every drink, you get down a glass of water to dilute effects.
Spicy food
Shun away from heavy and spicy foods that can interfere with your sleep cycle. This is an inferior type of food in consideration of how it affects sleep. If you love spicy food, there will be changes in your sleep pattern. Especially in your sleep cycle, you will spend less time in both light phase of sleep and the deep, then you proceed to stage 3 and 4. In regards to this, you have had a poor sleep experience. Indigestion and elevated body temperatures can also be caused by spicy food leading to poor quality sleep. indulge in heavy and spicy meals 3 hours to bedtime to avoid the negative sleep effects they might cost you.
Cigarettes
Smoking does not always relax you as most people tend to think. It can be a good way to unwind but absolutely not at night as you prepare for bedtime. The effects that the nicotine in cigarettes has are similar to those in caffeine. Actually, smokers spend more time sleeping lightly and less time sleeping in deep sleep. The side effects can cause insomnia and sleep apnea in advanced cases. It is important to avoid smoking before bed if you cannot quit. If you are able to quit remember that the withdrawal effects also do affect sleep patterns until your system stabilizes.
Caffeine
A lot of people in the morning prefer taking caffeinated drinks to make them stay awake. However, it can lead to addiction and taking it at night it will lead to impending sleep. Other times, caffeine is hidden in other beverages like cola, tea, and chocolate too. Surprisingly, decaf coffee also has traces of caffeine too it’s just that its effect is not felt. A few hours to your sleep time shun off all caffeine from the meals you are consuming to have good sleep.
Cut fluids before bedtime
Hydration is important during the day for the functionality of the body. However, at night to avoid any sleep interruption avoid drinking a lot of water or night teas for it will hinder your quality sleep.
As the above pointers show, sleep hygiene can be affected by certain foods because of the components that it has. Lifestyle habits to play a part in affecting the quality of your sleep. Analyze the type of environment that you are around and check how it affects your sleep.
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