Foods That Support Good Sleep & Foods That You Should Avoid Before Bed

Food and drinks can actually affect your energy levels and alertness and this fact hits you right when you’re trying to sleep after a long day. People who are suffering from insomnia must have wondered about the solution to the problem. Turns out that things as simple as your food can affect your quality of sleep. There are some foods that support good sleep and then there are foods that you should avoid before bed. Taking care of these simple things can lead to a happier and healthier life. If you are interested to know about foods that support good sleep and foods that don’t, read this article till the end.

Foods That Support Good Sleep

Here are the five food items that are best to be eaten before bed if you are struggling with insomnia. Judging by the commonality of this problem, this article will come in handy for many people.

Almonds

Eating almonds during any part of the day is seen as a healthy ritual. Almonds can be your best breakfast option, suitable for your midday snack, and can be beneficial for good sleep. Almonds contain a great number of healthy fats. In addition to that, almonds are also rich in magnesium and tryptophan. Both these compounds are known to naturally steady the heart rhythm as well as relax the nerve and muscle function. Owing to these abilities, munching on 6 to 7 almonds before bed can help you a great deal.

Honey

This again is a food item that is often recommended by nutritionists because of its rich composition. Honey has the ability to release large amounts of melatonin in the brain. Having a teaspoon of honey before bed will help to nullify orexin. Orexin is a compound that keeps the brain alert and increases the difficulty of sleeping. Once the orexin is shut off, the brain will relax and thus, you can sleep easily.

Bananas

Bananas are often considered an energy-boosting fruit. However, the large amounts of magnesium present in this food make it your best option before bed. Magnesium has the tendency to relax the body muscles. In addition to that, bananas also contain serotonin and melatonin. The benefits of both these compounds are well known. Serotonin and melatonin encourage good sleep. Eating bananas before bed will solve your insomnia issue for sure.

Oats

Oats have tremendous benefits when it comes to body health. This food is literally the king of all beneficial foods, and you will find it in almost every other diet plan. It’s not news for many of us that oats are very rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. All these compounds, together promote the production of melatonin which is a sleep-inducing chemical. Not only that, but oats are also great when it comes to insulin production, therefore, they have the ability to naturally raise blood sugar. Add them in milk or yogurt, you can have oats however you like.

Turkey

Turkey is also among the foods that support good sleep. This food is the most well-known source of tryptophan. Tryptophan, as discussed above, helps in muscle and heart relaxation, leading to quality sleep. The benefits of turkey, however, don’t end here. Turkey is also a rich source of protein and helps to feel full. Eating turkey before bed will ensure that you do not wake up hungry in the middle of the night.

Foods That Don’t Support Good Sleep

Here are some food items that you should avoid eating before bed. Avoiding these foods may solve your problem entirely.

Cheese

Surprising, isn’t it? Cheese actually makes it difficult for your brain to relax and here is why. Cheese, especially hard cheese contains large amounts of tyramine, an amino acid that makes the brain more awake and alert. No matter how fancy the cheese board looks, having cheese after dinner will only make it hard for you to fall asleep.

Fatty Food

Another thing that you should avoid before bed is fatty food. These foods are hard to digest by the stomach and can cause heartburn. Heartburn is one of the major causes of why people remain awake at night. Eating fatty foods will not only disturb the digestive system but will also affect the circadian rhythm.

Coffee

Now, this is a well-known fact, that caffeine can keep you awake. Despite being well informed, most people can’t stop themselves from having a cup of coffee after dinner. The effects of coffee do not subside until almost ten hours. Therefore, coffee is a no-no before bed.

Spicy Food

Spicy food can also make it hard for you to sleep. It can cause indigestion in many people. In addition to that, peppers contain capsaicin which makes temperature regulation hard for the body. Therefore, eating spicy food before bed can result in less peaceful sleep.

Alcohol

Contrary to popular opinion, alcohol can interfere with your peaceful sleep. Having an alcoholic beverage before sleep will stop you from falling into a deep sleep.