The medicinal uses of food are almost endless. It's used as fuel to energize us and can be used to decelerate us at the end of the day to help with sleep. Food can bring the gift of calm and peaceful rest, soothing irritability and hyperactivity. Certain foods trigger brain neurotransmitters and hormones, such as serotonin (which causes relaxation) and melatonin (which helps with sleep). If you're having a hard time relaxing and falling asleep and choose not to use pharmaceutical drugs, consider foods that can help overcome restlessness, anxiety and insomnia.
Whole Grains and Oats
Eating a piece of whole grain toast stimulates insulin production in the pancreas, which then helps neural pathways get tryptophan to the brain more rapidly. This stimulates serotonin and helps induce sleepiness. According to clipmarks.com, oats are high in melatonin, and eating foods made with oats or oat bran can help you relax and fall asleep more readily.
Bananas
Bananas are chock full of nutrients, including potassium and magnesium. Adding bananas to the diet helps the brain release both serotonin and melatonin, as well as promoting muscle relaxation and relief from stress, according to clipmarks.com.
Milk
Milk contains the naturally occurring amino acid known as tryptophan, which is used by the brain to create serotonin, according to clipmarks.com. Milk is also high in calcium, a vitamin and electrolyte that assists the body in the processing of tryptophan, says helpguide.org.
Chamomile and Valerian Tea
According to Jethro Kloss, author of "Back to Eden," both valerian and chamomile herbal tea supply a sedative-like compound and may induce relaxation and sleep.
Raw Honey
In his book, "Alkalize or Die," Dr. Theodore Baroody discusses how eating raw, organic honey can help people calm down and fall asleep more easily. Raw honey is predigested in bees before it reaches our tables, so it's easy to digest and packed with nutrients. It's high in potassium, which neutralizes acids in the body, and assists naturally occurring tryptophan to relax the body. According to clipmarks.com, the glucose in honey can interfere with the function of another neurotransmitter in the brain called orexin, which keeps people alert, and so bring on profound relaxation.
References
- Top 10 Foods to Help You Sleep
- "Back to Eden;" Jethro Kloss; 2006
- "Alkalize or Die;" Dr. Theodore A. Baroody; 1991
