The 12 foods to eat before bed to have a great night’s sleep
TROUBLE sleeping? You may need to turn to your kitchen cupboards.
Nutrition experts claim the correct foods can work wonders for a regular night-time routine.
Scientists in India have discovered that black cumin seeds — found in many curries — can reduce stress, help you fall asleep faster and kip for longer.
Here are other foods to help you eat yourself to sleep . . .
Almonds: This nut is packed with the hormone melatonin and sleep-inducing mineral magnesium. Melatonin regulates the internal clock and helps your body relax. Try a handful of the nuts an hour before bed.
Turkey: The bird is a great source of the amino acid tryptophan, which boosts the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.
Chocolate: Releases endorphins to help us relax. Cocoa also contains tryptophan, which helps sleep.
Pumpkin seeds: Packed with magnesium and zinc which research shows improves your kip. The high protein content will stop you waking up throughout the night.
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Cereal: The breakfast favourite is great for a midnight snack, too. A low-sugar option such as Weetabix is packed with fibre, which regulates sugar levels and helps you stay full for longer, stopping you from waking up hungry.
Chamomile tea: Contains apigenin, which binds to the sleep receptors in your brain that help you nod off. Testers who tried 270mg of chamomile extract twice daily for 28 days fell asleep 15 minutes faster than those who didn’t.
Kiwi fruit: It’s full of serotonin and antioxidants, which help reduce stress and cortisol levels. One study found that adults who ate two kiwi fruits one hour before going to bed fell asleep 42 per cent quicker than when they didn’t eat before bed.
Cherry juice: Strong cherry juice boosts the absorption of the amino acid tryptophan and aids the body’s production of melatonin. Adults with insomnia who had 240ml of the drink twice a day for two weeks slept 84 minutes longer than those who didn’t drink it.
White rice: Foods such as rice are high on the Glycemic Index, and therefore cause blood sugar to rise quickly. Munching on them at least one hour before bed may improve sleep. Higher rice intake was associated with better sleep than bread or noodles, research shows.
Lettuce: It may not be the most exciting food on earth, but it could do wonders for you. Research found the vegetable increased sleep duration in mice and also protected cells against inflam-mation caused by sleep deprivation.
Yoghurt: A bowl of greek yoghurt before bed will help you feel drowsy. Its probiotics promote good bacteria in your gut which keeps your digestive system healthy and fights insomnia.
Honey: Just a spoonful of honey helps you go to bed. Glucose in the sweet treat lowers levels of orexin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that keeps you alert. The natural sweetener will put that alertness in reverse.