Foods for sleep: Almonds, fatty fish and chamomile tea can help you sleep well. Here are other foods that can help in fixing sleep issues.
Foods for sleep: Drink a cup of warm milk at bedtime to sleep well
HIGHLIGHTS
- Turmeric milk at bedtime can induce sleep
- Fatty fish can aid production of sleep hormone
- Chamomile tea can induce a sense of calmness
The prevalence of insomnia or a lack of sleep is only going higher and somehow the pandemic did play a minor role in it by disrupting many of us out of our usual schedule. Now that things have slowly started getting back on track, it is the best time to work on fixing your erratic sleeping patterns. A lack of sleep doesn't cause any distinctive symptom, rather an overall degradation of health- and that is why most people tend to ignore it unless it starts affecting day to day life. Although food choices might come last in your mind when talking about managing sleep, certain foods can actually help to improve the overall quality of your sleep.
Foods for sleep: Make sure to include these as a constant fix to manage insomnia
1. Almonds and Walnuts
Almonds are a rich source of melatonin which is a major sleep hormone that regulates your internal body clock and signals your body to prepare for sleep. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for boosting your mood and regulating your digestion, appetite, and memory. The power nuts- almonds and walnuts can trigger also the release of serotonin that further uplifts your mood. Apart from melatonin, almonds are also a storehouse of magnesium which is again helpful in improving sleep quality. Walnuts contain tryptophan which is an amino acid that helps in the production of serotonin and melatonin, both of which are responsible to induce sound sleep.
Also read: Is It Healthy To Eat Almonds Daily? Nutritionists Explain
2. Fatty Fish
Fatty fishes like salmon, mackerel, or tuna are packed with essential omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are linked to a better quality of sleep. Fatty fishes work by boosting your sleep quality, improving your daytime performance, and helping you to sleep quickly. DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) present in fatty fishes also aid in boosting sleep hormone melatonin.
Fatty fish can aid in boosting sleep hormone melatonin
Photo Credit: iStock
3. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is made from dried chamomile flowers. Having a cup of chamomile tea right before bedtime is known to induce sleep and trigger a sense of calmness. It is because of the presence of an antioxidant called apigenin that decreases anxiety and exerts a mild tranquilizing effect. The best part is that chamomile tea is completely caffeine-free.
4. Milk
Having a glass of warm milk just before bed is one of the best-kept age-old remedies to help ensure better sleep. Milk contains tryptophan, calcium, Vitamin D, and melatonin. All these four compounds help in better sleep regulation. Tryptophan found in milk interacts with certain brain chemicals that are responsible for maintaining the biological clock for sleep and waking up. Enjoy a cup of warm milk just before bed to catch a hassle-free sleep.
Apart from including these wonder foods in your diet, make sure you also ensure that you do not go to sleep immediately after having your dinner. There should be a gap of minimum 2-3 hours between your last meal and bedtime. Also, say no to caffeine at least 3 hours before bed and ditch any form of alcohol before bedtime as it can disturb your sleep.
Also read: Turmeric Milk: 8 Health Benefits Confirmed By Our Expert
The bottom line
What you eat has a direct impact on your mind and body. There are certain foods that can trigger stress while there are some that can help you stay calm and promote sleep. A sound sleep is not merely the number of hours but also the quality of sleep!
(Nmami Agarwal is nutritionist at Nmami Life)
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