Best Foods For a Good Night Sleep
09-01-2010
How many times did it happen to you to have a bad day!?! How many times did it happen to you to not be in the mood for anything!?! Well, it might help you to know that sometimes bad days or bad mood are the result of an improper sleep during nights.
Food can help when it comes to getting a solid sleep. The following 10 foods are known to stimulate sleep-inducing hormones like serotonin (an important neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of sleep, anger, aggression, body temperature, mood, etc.) and melatonin (melatonin regulates our body's perception of night and day and stimulates sleep when night falls. People suffering from insomnia do not produce enough melatonin. Also, stress can reduce the level of melatonin produced by our bodies). In addition, these foods have other positive side effects like relaxing tense muscle, calming stressed minds, etc.
1. Bananas
Bananas contain melatonin and serotonin which are practically some of the best sleep stimulating substances (such substances are frequently used in pharmaceutical industry). In addition, bananas contain magnesium which has a relaxing effect on muscles.
2. Warm milk
As probably a lot of us know from childhood, a glass of warm milk was the solution when we couldn't fall asleep. The explanation for this would be that milk contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid that has a sedative effect. Moreover, calcium contained by milk helps the brain use tryptophan.
3. Chamomile tea
Chamomile is one of the oldest garden herbs which was considered a universal remedy in ancient Egypt. The plant is usually used for tea making and, as we all know, tea has a relaxing effect and is most often used for this purpose. Chamomile tea is generally known not only for its relaxing effect, but for its sedating effect as well, being in this way the perfect natural antidote for stressed minds and bodies.
4. Honey
Usually, sweet food products provide an extra quantity of energy to our bodies. When we think of extra energy, we definitely do not think of sleeping. However, recent studies have discovered that glucose (like the one contained by honey) can stimulate the brain to reduce the quantity of orexin. Orexin is a recently discovered neurotransmitter that is connected to alertness.
5. Potatoes
Patatoes clear away acids that can interfere with tryptophan amino acid. Baked potatoes can have an even greater sleep inducing effect if they are combined with warm milk when eaten.
6. Almonds
These nuts contain both tryptophan (sedative effect) amino acid and magnesium (muscle relaxing effect).
7. Oatmeal
Oats are good for a good night's sleep because they stimulate the production of melatonin.
8. Whole-wheat bread
Eating bread will cause insulin to be released into the body, which helps tryptophan get to the brain where it's converted to serotonin.
9. Turkey
Turkeys are a very good source of tryptophan. However, bear in mind that tryptophan is most effective when the stomach is basically empty, not full, and when there are some carbs in the stomach, not lots of proteins.
10. Flaxseeds
These little seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, acids that act as natural mood lifters. So, when feeling down is what's keeping you up, these seeds should be considered as antidote.
Rss Feeds - Dream dictionary
