It is recommended that if you eat prior to bedtime, you eat protein foods that contain tryptophan which, according to holisticonline.com, "converts to seratonin in the body, induces sleep and prevents waking." It is advised you avoid protein-rich foods like red meat since this can block the synthesis of serotonin and inhibit your sleep. There are a variety of foods you can snack on to help with gaining a good night's sleep.
Dairy Foods
Drinking a glass of warm milk is a sleeping remedy that has been used for centuries states holisticonline.com. Milk is a protein-rich source that contains tryptophan and promotes sleep enhancement cites the USDA. Yogurt has the same effect upon the body cites the USDA.
Dried egg whites contain large amounts of tryptophan and protein cites nutritiondata.com. A one-ounce serving of dried egg white contains 23g of protein and 999 milligrams of tryptophan. Drinking a beverage containing egg whites can aid in getting a good night's sleep. It is recommended that you drink the beverage at least one hour prior to sleep time to give it time to properly digest.
Soy Foods
Soy protein isolate is a soy-based food that comes in plain, enriched and flavored powdered versions. All varieties can provide you with plant-based plant sterols that can help you sleep cites the USDA. According to nutritiondata.com, a one-cup serving of the powder can provide you with 88 milligrams of protein and 1,110 milligrams of tryptophan, a powerful sleeping agent.
A snack of roasted soybeans can provide you with 40 grams of protein and 575 milligrams of tryptophan cites nutritiondata.com. If roasted soybeans (sometimes known as soy nuts) are not to your liking, you can eat the raw or baked versions of soybean. A serving size, according to the USDA, is one cup.
Seeds and Nuts
Making a bedtime snack out of pumpkin seeds may help you sleep better. These seeds are high in both protein and tryptophan cites the USDA. According to nutritiondata.com, eating a one-cup serving can provide you with 33 milligrams of protein and 578 milligrams of tryptophan. Sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are also high in both nutrients that can assist you with sleeping.
If you do not want to eat seeds, you can enjoy a variety of butters. Peanut butter, almond butter and walnut butter are protein-rich sources that contain respectable amounts of tryptophan cites the USDA. Eating some nut butter on whole grain crackers two hours prior to bed time will provide sleep-enhancing benefits cites holisticonline.com.
Poultry
Turkey is known for containing large amounts of tryptophan. A good source of lean protein, turkey contains less saturated fats than red meats, thereby making it easier to digest. The protein in turkey will not interfere with the synthesis of serotonin in your body, either, cites the USDA. A three-ounce serving of turkey breast will provide you with 64 percent of the daily recommended allotment of protein. This portion size also contains a respectable 350 milligrams of tryptophan. Chicken breast, another lean protein source, has similar nutrient amounts cites the USDA.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; Release 20, USDA; 2008
- Nutritiondata.com
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