Causes of insomnia: foods to help you sleep

What you eat affects how easily you fall asleep and the quality of sleep you get. Some foods help calm your brain, while others stimulate it. If you are having trouble falling asleep or sleeping well, your food intake may be causing problems without knowing it.

Foods that contain an amino acid called tryptophan are known to induce sleep. Foods that contain tryptophan can help you become sleepy and sleep better at night. Food without this substance can disturb your sleep.

Also, it is best to eat carbohydrates along with foods that contain tryptophan. So for dinner and bedtime snacks, eat something rich in complex carbohydrates with a little protein containing tryptophan to relax your brain, with some calcium too. A sugary snack that contains only carbohydrates is likely to stimulate you and make it difficult for you to fall asleep.

These foods contain high amounts of tryptophan that causes sleep:

  • whole grains
  • hummus, sesame seeds
  • dairy products, eg milk, cheese
  • meat, poultry, eggs, seafood
  • Beans
  • hazelnuts and peanuts
  • soy foods, eg tofu, soy nuts

Dinners to help you sleep

Lighter meals are better to help you relax. Avoid high-fat meals and large portions because they make your digestive system work too hard and can keep you awake. In fact, it is better to go to bed on a comfortable, not full stomach. You may feel like you fall asleep faster, but your sleep is likely to be interrupted during the night. Try these foods to help you relax and sleep:

  • pasta / mac n cheese
  • meat or poultry with vegetables
  • stir fry tofu
  • scrambled eggs and cheese
  • seafood with pasta with cheese

Good snacks at bedtime

These foods are rich in carbohydrates and calcium, as well as containing moderate amounts of protein to induce sleep. Keep in mind that it takes about an hour to digest food, so plan to consume it an hour before bed:

  • whole grains and milk
  • raisin and oatmeal cookies with milk
  • apple pie with ice cream
  • hazelnuts with tofu
  • peanut butter and ground sesame seed sandwich.

If you are unsure or skeptical, why not do your own experiment and try it out for a week?

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