Care For Your Sleep

Thousands of people around the world, regardless of where they live or what they do, suffer from various sleep disorders. Specialists argue that women tend to have more problematic sleep than men, and many people are affected by called Sunday night stress syndrome, when thinking about the things that must be done and planning the activities for the next week do not allow people sleep calmly. Sensitive people usually have problems with sleep in autumn, when their chronic illnesses and minor health problems tend to aggravate. Recent studies found out that about 5% of people suffer from regular long-term insomnia.

Certainly, insomnia affects their life quality. Many people know that our bad eating habits (such as eating before going to bed, drinking a lot of coffee or energy drinks, etc.) play an important role in stimulating sleep disorders. But not everyone is aware that the foods we eat and our diet can help us fight off insomnia and have restful sleep all night. Some foods can play a role of good soporific, because they can stimulate production of serotonin and melatonin, the hormones responsible for good sleep. Below, there is a list of top 5 foods that can help us sleep better.

1.    Warm milk. A glass of warm milk is a well-known effective natural remedy for good sleep that works especially great for young children. Milk and dairy foods contain tryptophan, an amino acid with strong sedative properties, which gets converted in our body into serotonin and melatonin and improves our sleep quality to a great extent. In addition, milk is a great source of calcium necessary to our body to digest trytophan.

2.    Natural Honey. Honey is another very effective natural tranquilizer and relaxant, which has been used for many centuries in traditional Chinese medicine for fighting with insomnia and inducing sleep. Honey contains great amounts of glucose, which helps to calm down our nervous system and relax. Add a tablespoon of fresh natural honey into your warm milk or herbal tea, and drink it before going to bed: you will definitely feel the difference and enjoy a long restful sleep till the morning.

3.    Herbal teas with Chamomile, Mint and Melissa. Specialists recommend herbal teas as very effective natural remedies to promote good and restful sleep. Chamomile is a great natural solution, which helps to calm down after stresses, relax, soothe irritations and relieve various chronic aches. Mint is a natural ingredient with excellent calming, relaxing and anti-inflammatory properties, and Melissa has very strong sedative, soothing and calming therapeutic effects. That is why these three medicinal herbs are considered to be the most effective for those who fight with insomnia and other sleep disorders.

4.    Bananas. Bananas are sweet and delicious natural remedies for good sleep. Bananas are also rich with tryptophan and help to stimulate synthesis of melatonin and serotonin,  natural neurotransmitters which promote sleepiness, relaxation and feelings of calm. Besides, banana is a fruit containing a variety of B-group Vitamins, and Vitamin B12 is supposed to be especially useful when combating insomnia. In addition, bananas help our body to produce endorphins, natural chemicals known as “hormones of happiness”. When you feel happy, you always sleep much better, don’t you?

5.    Almonds. Some experts consider almonds and some types of nuts to be the best sleep-indulging food. Just like milk and bananas, almonds are also a great source of tryptophan, which helps to relax and calm down. Besides, almonds contain such element as magnesium, known for its excellent muscle relaxing properties. Therefore, eating a handful of almonds in 1or 2 hours before going to bed can be of a great help to those people, who want to get a good night’s sleep.

It is possible to continue this list and mention other foods containing tryptophan, such as oatmeal, potato or turkey. Remember that in order to achieve long-term positive effects, these products must be incorporated into your diet and consumed in reasonable doses on a regular basis. Do not expect to have a good sleep after drinking 3 pints of warm milk with honey. Also, do not forget that many of these products can cause allergic reactions and must not be overdosed. Develop good eating habits, eat greater amounts of fresh and natural foods, lead a healthy-life style and sleep well every night!