You hear a lot about sleep hygiene these days, which includes good mattress, fresh air, silence and relaxation. But one of the key components of getting a good night's sleep is what you eat during the day and any snacks you might have before you go to sleep. Some of the old wives tales have scientific substance, such as the chemical components of a mug of hot milk. Food will aid, but not totally cure, hard wired insomnia problems. If you have trouble sleeping, you need a whole lifestyle strategy. You can do no better than to start with altering your diet.
Foods that Aid Sleep
According to U.K.-based physiotherapist Sammy Margo, author of the "Good Sleep Guide," foods that contain high levels of the chemical tryptophan aid sleep. In the body, tryptophan is converted into L-tryptophan, which in turn is converted into serotonin, the "feel good" brain chemical that aids sleep. She adds that tryptophan-rich foods must also contain carbohydrates, which help process the conversion of tryptophan into the sleep-inducing seratonin. These foods include almonds, turkey, bananas, oats, eggs and dairy products. You know the myth about cheese and nightmares, but better to sleep and dream than not sleep at all.
Foods and Drinks that Keep You Awake
Caffeine, in tea, coffee, chocolate and cola-based drinks can stimulate you to the point of insomnia, according to doctors Maryon and Alan Stewart, co-authors of "The Natural Health Bible." They also advise never going to bed on a full stomach. Digestion requires energy, which will keep you awake. Oddly, alcohol, a depressant, might cause you to fall asleep, or pass out initially, but taken in excess it will aggravate insomnia. This might be due to a midnight urge to urinate, a mid-sleep call for excessive thirst or simply breaking your regular sleep patterns. They also suggest avoiding bacon, chocolate and red wine--all of them contain tryamine, which increases the release of noradenaline, a brain stimulant.
Building Blocks of Sleep-Inducing Chemicals
You might have heard of the supplement melatonin, which is meant to help with jet lag. In fact, seratonin is a precursor to melatonin, so if you get enough food in your diet that includes chemicals that produce seratonin, you are on the right track. The chemical that helps release seratonin is 5-HTP, which is available as a supplement, or you can start the whole process by eating foods rich in trypotphan, like chicken, cheese, tuna, tofu, eggs, nuts, seeds, milk and lettuce. These just need to be included in the regular daily diet, not particularly eaten just before bed.
Minerals that Aid Sleep
It's not only the neurotransmitters in food that aid sleep, but also the minerals. Calcium and magnesium work together to relax the body and reduce cramps and twitches. Sugar depletes magnesium levels, so it might be worth cutting down on sugar or supplementing your diet with magnesium rich foods or magnesium supplements. Magnesium rich foods include seeds, nuts, leafy green vegetables, whole grain cereals and seafood. Drs. Mayron and Alan Stuart suggest a 300 mg supplement of magnesium before bedtime.
Supplements or food
Herbal supplements are fine for short-term measures, but they should not be relied upon as a sleep aid. Sleeplessness is often associated with anxiety and depression, so it would be wise to see your primary health provider if the problem of sleeplessness has occurred for more than a month. One double blind study looking at the efficacy of the natural herb valerian verses placebos found that extract of valerian root was an effective sleep aid in insomniacs. The most important thing to remember in tackling helplessness is that it is not just about diet, which can be very helpful, but also good sleep habits in general. Invest in a good mattress and make sure you keep to regular sleep habits.
References
- "The Good Sleep Guide"; Sammy Margo; 2008
- "Food is Better Medicine than Drugs"; Patrrick Holdford and Jerome Burne; 2006
- "The Natural Health Bible"; Maryon and Alan Stewart; 2001
