The best foods and drinks for better sleep quality
The quality of sleep directly depends on our overall health. If we do not sleep well at night, it affects our work throughout the day. It has been seen that lack of concentration at work, laziness, and sleepiness in the eyes affect our overall health. As a result, our productivity decreases. Many people take sleeping pills to sleep due to a lack of sleep. And we do not think that the reason for this lack of sleep may be our bad eating habits. We believe that the relationship between eating and sleep is what? We do not think that good food in our daily life can be the key to proper sleep.
Today, in this article, we will learn how good food and water can improve our quality of sleep.
PubMed research found women adhering to this diet had longer sleep duration and fewer awakenings.
Why do some foods affect sleep?
1. Hormone and neurotransmitter production
The most important ingredients for regulating sleep are:
Melatonin: This is the ‘sleep hormone’. Some foods naturally contain melatonin. Again, some foods provide ingredients that help the body produce its own melatonin. This hormone signals our body that it is time to sleep.
2. Muscle relaxation and nerve function
Some minerals and vitamins calm our muscles and nervous system:
Potassium and calcium: These minerals help the brain’s sleep control process and maintain a balance between muscle contraction and relaxation.
3. Digestion and body temperature
When and what we eat affects our internal processes:
Gastric problems: Eating excessively fatty, spicy, or heavy foods at night slows down the digestion process. This can lead to problems like heartburn or acidity, which can disturb your sleep while lying down.
4. Stimulants and inhibitors
Best foods for sleep
1. Nuts and seeds
Walnuts: Walnuts naturally contain the hormone melatonin, which regulates our body’s internal sleep clock (circadian rhythm).
Grain seeds: These are rich in tryptophan, which helps the brain produce serotonin and later melatonin.
2. Dairy products
Hot milk: Milk contains tryptophan and calcium. Calcium helps the brain use tryptophan effectively, resulting in faster sleep.
3. Fruits and vegetables
Sour cherry juice: This is one of the best sources of natural melatonin. Studies have shown that it can increase both the duration and quality of sleep.
Bananas: The potassium and magnesium in bananas act as muscle relaxants, which help the body relax deeply.
4. Grains and fish
Jasmine rice: The high glycemic index of this type of rice helps tryptophan reach the brain faster, resulting in faster sleep.
Fatty fish: Such as salmon or tuna. Omega-3 and vitamin D regulate the hormone melatonin, which helps you fall asleep.
Best Drinks for Sleep
Here is a list of the best drinks for a good night’s sleep and the reasons why they are effective:
1. Tart Cherry Juice
This is probably the best drink for sleep. Tart cherry juice is a powerful source of natural melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates our body’s sleep cycle.
2. Chamomile Tea
This is the most well-known and popular sleep aid drink. Chamomile tea contains an antioxidant called apigenin. It acts as a kind of mild sedative or sleeping pill.
3. Hot Milk
Warm milk is a comforting drink that calms the mind by evoking childhood memories. Milk contains an amino acid called tryptophan.
4. Valerian Root Tea
Valerian root has been used since ancient times to help with sleep problems. It can increase levels of GABA in the brain, which calms the nervous system. However, its taste can be a bit strong.
5. Passion Flower Tea
This tea is known to reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality. Like chamomile, it also helps relax the nervous system by increasing levels of GABA in the brain.
Foods and drinks to avoid
Caffeinated drinks
Caffeine is a powerful stimulant. It keeps your central nervous system alert.
Tea and coffee: The caffeine in them blocks the effects of a sleep inducing neurotransmitter called adenosine in the brain, keeping you alert.
Soda and energy drinks: These contain high levels of caffeine and sugar, which greatly disrupt sleep.
Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate also contains caffeine and a stimulant called theobromine, which can disrupt sleep if consumed at night.
Stop consuming caffeine at least 6 to 8 hours before bedtime.
Fatty and spicy foods: These foods take longer to digest and cause discomfort in the body at night.
Fatty meat and fast food: High-fat foods seriously slow down the digestive process. The body is then busy digesting and cannot calm down for sleep.
Spicy foods: Chillies or other spices can cause acidity or heartburn, especially while lying down. This discomfort does not allow you to fall asleep easily.
Sugary foods: Sweets, candies, and desserts. Eating sugary foods before bed. This rapid fluctuation can wake the body up in the middle of the night.
Acidic foods
Tomato sauce or citrus fruits: Eating excessively acidic foods at night can increase the problem of acid reflux, which causes discomfort during sleep.
FAQ
Q: What foods help improve sleep quality?
A: Foods rich in magnesium, tryptophan, and omega-3s—such as fatty fish, bananas, almonds, warm milk, and oats can support better sleep quality.
Q: Which drinks are best for better sleep?
A: Warm milk, chamomile tea, and tart cherry juice are popular sleep-friendly drinks. They help relax the body and boost melatonin for restful sleep.
A few words from CoreWellfit
Not only will you have trouble sleeping at night because of eating, but this problem can also occur if you have any physical problems. In that case, you can consult a good doctor.
Along with other lifestyle changes, adding foods rich in melatonin, magnesium, and tryptophan to your nightly menu can improve the quality of your sleep.
Avoid eating too much before bedtime, and finish your dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime. Make these small changes to your diet. You will see that your sleep will not only be longer, but it will be deeper and more refreshing.
Start your journey to better sleep through food today!
