You may know that caffeinated beverages can temporarily make you feel more alert, but you may not know that other foods, such as those that contain carbohydrates, can have the opposite effect. If you are having trouble sleeping, you may find certain foods can have soothing and sleep-inducing effects. Eating foods that contain amino acids like tryptophan can help to activate neurotransmitters in your brain to induce sleepiness.
Tryptophan and Carbohydrates
Eating foods that contain tryptophan and carbohydrates can induce sleepiness. Tryptophan is the pre-cursor to the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin, which help to induce feelings of sleepiness. Carbohydrates help your brain gain faster access to these neurotransmitters because carbohydrates stimulate the release of insulin in your cells. Insulin is helpful because it removes competing amino acids, including tysine, that can keep you feeling awake. With the other amino acids out of the way, the sleep-inducing effects of the neurotransmitters processed from tryptophan can be more pronounced.
Milk
Low-fat milk contains natural sugars that can stimulate the production of serotonin. As an added bonus, milk is a food you tend to associate with relaxation because you likely drank it before bed when you were small. Milk can be paired with carbohydrate-containing foods like cereal to provide the right mix of carbohydrates and sleep-inducing sugars. An 8 oz. glass is about all you need -- drinking too much milk can cause wakefulness because you will feel the need to urinate.
Carbohydrates and Protein
In addition to drinks such as milk, you can induce sleepiness by pairing foods that have carbohydrates and protein. Proteins tend to be high in tryptophan, which makes pairings such as peanut butter on toast, cheese and crackers, or half a turkey sandwich good choices. You can also substitute for snack sources such as corn chips, pretzels, rice cakes or saltine crackers. Keep your sleep-inducing foods more snack-size than meal-size. While a large meal can make you feel sleepy, it can contribute to excess overall daily calories.
Sweets
If you enjoy a sweet snack to make you feel sleepy, vanilla wafers or graham crackers are two options. Low-fat yogurt with fruit also contains proteins and carbohydrates to help you sleep. Sprinkling a little nutmeg, which has a nutty, cinnamon-like taste, in your milk or tea can also help to induce sleepiness.
References
- AskDrSears.com; Foods That Help You Sleep; Dr. William Sears
- MayoClinic.com; Foods That Help You Sleep; Timothy Morgenthaler, M.D.; April 2011
- MailOnline: Which Foods and Drinks Will Help Me Sleep?
- "Reader's Digest"; 10 Foods to Make You Sleepy; Ellen Michaud and Julie Bain
- National Sleep Foundation: Food and Sleep
