6 Foods and Drinks That Help You Get Better Sleep

If you are working towards getting more sleep, there are many reasons to keep you motivated. The ideal hours of sleep are seven to eight to reap the many positive health benefits, such as improved mood, reduced stress, and reduced risk of heart disease. In your quest to promote quality sleep, you can start by searching for ways to improve the feel of your mattress in mattress topper reviews. Also, you can practice good sleep hygiene and this includes eating for better sleep. Consider the foods and drinks that are part of your diet and how they affect your sleep. Chose foods and drinks like those discussed here that can help you sleep. 

1. Milk 

Enjoying a warm cup of milk before you retire to bed, is an old-school recommendation that seems to work. This is because the protein in the milk is a source of tryptophan. Tryptophan in large amounts produces a calming effect that will help you fall asleep fast. If you eat foods for dinner that are rich in tryptophan like rice, turkey, and others, topping it with a warm mug of milk gives you an extra boost. Having foods with protein content also makes you feel satisfied for long and you will not go to be hungry. Thus, a combination of tryptophan, protein, and the soothing effect of a warm beverage, relaxes you and gets you in the right frame of mind for sleep. 

2. Chamomile tea 

Sipping a warm mug of chamomile tea as part of your bedtime routine is quite soothing. The tea is a common remedy for people struggling to fall asleep, for its known for its sleep supporting qualities. Although any tea can be calming to enjoy at the end of your day. Chamomile tea stands out because it has Apigenin which is an antioxidant that helps to promote sleepiness in people. Other teas with a similar effect are passionflower tea, valerian root tea, and lavender tea. However, if you are pregnant and you love your chamomile tea. Ask your healthcare provider if it is okay to enjoy a cup before you head to bed. Since large quantities are linked to an increase in uterine contractions. 

3. Walnuts 

If you have to snack before you retire to bed. Choose walnuts as your nighttime snack. They contain melatonin which is a plant compound known to maintain a healthy sleep cycle. Also, they contain magnesium which in its natural form will help you get some shut-eye too. The magnesium binds to a neurotransmitter that helps to calm nerve activity. Thus, having a calm nervous system will help you in getting more rest. Also, walnuts help to lower depression, so if you are having trouble staying or falling asleep, eating walnuts will help. 

4. Tart cherry juice 

As the name implies, tart cherries are a bit more tart than the taste you will get with the classic cherries. Although they are not easily found in most grocery stores, they are full of nutrients and are delicious. You can shop for tart cherry juice to drink as a sleep remedy, as it has been used for promoting sleep for many years. Also, tart cherry juice helps to raise your body’s melatonin levels. According to studies, drinking tart cherry juice is effective in increasing sleep efficiency and sleep time. 

5. Kiwi 

Another bedtime snack you can have before bedtime is kiwi fruit. This fuzzy fruit will give you a bedtime boost. Eat two kiwi fruits before bedtime and you are certain to fall asleep faster than when you do not have any kiwi snack. Kiwi fruits contain serotonin a hormone that helps in sleep cycle regulation. Thus, it will help keep your circadian rhythm in check and you will experience better sleep quality and quantity. 

6. Tofu            

Do you love tofu as part of your dinner meal plans? Tofu and other soy foods have flavonoids known as isoflavones. According to studies, the more isoflavones you have daily the better, as it is associated with optimal sleep quality and duration. To get a head start on a good night’s slumber, have a tofu stir fry for your dinner or edamame for your bedtime snack.