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Foods
(and Recipes) That Can Help You To Sleep Better and Overcome
Insomnia
As you
likely know, caffeinated
drinks and food should be avoided before bedtime. They
can cause increased alertness and discourage sleep.
What you might not know is that certain foods can actually
help you to naturally fall asleep easier and faster.
Carbohydrates
To help yourself to become sleepy before bedtime, eat a carbohydrate-rich
meal, as opposed to a protein-rich one.
Here's the science behind it why carbohydrates can make you
sleepy. A carbohydrate-rich meal increases in the brain the
level of L-tryptophan, an essential amino acid with a documented
sleep inducing effect, and leads to serotonin synthesis. Carbohydrates
cause the pancreas to secrete insulin. When this happens,
some amino acids that compete with tryptophan leave the bloodstream
and go into muscles. This results in an increase in the relative
concentration of L-tryptophan in the bloodstream... and you
feel sleepy.
Many people mistakenly believe that eating foods high in L-tryptophan,
such as turkey, will cause sleepiness. The truth, however,
is that L-tryptophan needs to be taken on an empty stomach
and without any other amino acids or protein in order to make
you drowsy. In other words, the turkey and its protein will
cancel out the effects of the L-tryptophan. If you eat turkey
and feel drowsy afterward, it's the carbohydrates that you
ate with the turkey, such as bread or potatoes, that make
you sleepy.
Fats
Foods that are high in fat take much energy to digest, requiring
the body to redirect blood to the digestive system to break
down the fat. During this process, which can take hours, you
will have less blood flow elsewhere, including your brain,
causing you to feel sleepy. Most foods high in fat should
be eaten in moderation, if at all. Here is a list
of foods that gives fat information.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. Drinking a
small to moderate amount of alcohol before bed may help you
to fall asleep faster and easier. However, drinking too much
can cause you to not sleep well because it can interfere with
sleep cycles.
Overeating
When your stomach is full, blood is taken away from other
organ systems, including your nervous system and brain. As
a result, you will feel sleepy after a big meal, especially
if it is one that's high in fats and carbohydrates. Of course,
to avoid weight gain, overeating should only be done occasionally.
Specific Foods (and Recipes) To Help You Sleep
Below are foods with high amounts of carbohydrates (and perhaps
high fat) to help you sleep better. Click on each to find
many recipes.
Pasta
Spaghetti
Linguine
Fettuccine
Chili
Potatoes
Bread
Oatmeal
Black eyed peas
Muffins
Refried beans
Macaroni
Pears
Banana
Cherries
Apricots
Cookies
Dates
Pancakes
Carrots
pizza
white rice
corn
beans
blueberry
fig
grapes
apple
orange
pineapple
strawberry
watermelon
chickpeas
white beans
garbanzo beans
navy beans
sweet potato
corn
raisins
nonfat milk
low fat
plain yogurt
chocolate milk
skimmed milk
chocolates
candies
pastries
Kidney beans, cooked
Black beans, cooked
Lima beans, cooked
Split peas, cooked
Navy beans, cooked
Pinto beans, cooked
Miso
Oats, whole grain, cooked
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked
Buckwheat, cooked
Rye, whole grain, uncooked
Garlic
Beets, Boiled
Yogurt, low-fat
Potato, baked, with skin
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