Some people have trouble falling asleep. Others can’t stay
asleep. And then there are the people who have trouble turning life “off” and
tucking into bed at a reasonable hour.
Whatever the
reason, the health benefits of a good night’s rest are countless: sleep helps
keep you happy, your brain sharp, your immune system strong, your waistline
trim, your skin looking youthful—and lowers your risk of high blood pressure
and heart disease.
Here’s the good
news: Adding these foods to your diet may help to increase your odds of a
successful slumber.
·
Fish
Most fish—and especially salmon, halibut and tuna—boast vitamin
B6, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by
darkness), according to an article published in the Annals of the New York
Academy of Sciences.
·
Jasmine rice
When healthy sleepers ate carbohydrate-rich suppers of veggies
and tomato sauce over rice, they fell asleep significantly faster at bedtime if
the meal included high-glycemic-index (GI) jasmine rice rather than lower-GI
long-grain rice, in a study published in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition. While the authors aren’t sure how it happened, they speculated that
the greater amounts of insulin triggered by the high-GI meals increased the
ratio of sleep-inducing tryptophan relative to other amino acids in the blood,
allowing proportionately more to get into the brain.
·
Yogurt
Dairy products like yogurt and milk boast healthy doses of
calcium—and there’s research that suggests being calcium-deficient may make it
difficult to fall asleep.
·
Whole grains
Bulgur, barley and other whole grains are rick in magnesium—and
consuming too little magnesium may make it harder to stay asleep, reported
theJournal of Orthomolecular Medicine.
·
Kale
Dairy products are well-known calcium-rich foods. But green
leafy vegetables, such as kale and collards, also boast healthy doses of
calcium. And research suggests that being calcium deficient may make it
difficult to fall asleep.
·
Bananas
Bananas, well-known for being rich in potassium, are also a good
source of Vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing
hormone triggered by darkness), according to an article published in theAnnals
of the New York Academy of Sciences.
·
Chickpeas
Chickpeas boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin (a
sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness), according to an article
published in theAnnals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
·
Fortified cereals
Fortified cereals also boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make
melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness), according to an
article published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
Source: Eatingwell.com
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