10 foods to help you get to sleep
With research linking a lack of sleep health issues like Alzheimer’s, cancer, anxiety and depression, it’s never been more important to get your eight hours.
If you’re failing to do so, your diet may be partly to blame.
We’ve put together 10 foods, forming part of any healthy diet, which may be able to help you get a bit of shuteye. Instead of counting sheep, have a bite to eat!
1. Fish
Most fish, especially types like salmon and tuna are rich in vitamin B6. This vitamin is necessary for the production of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone in our bodies.
2. Almonds
Low levels of magnesium in your body make it hard to achieve quality sleep, so a handful of magnesium-rich almonds might just be the trick to help you nod off.
3. Yoghurt
The inability to achieve deep sleep is related to low calcium levels, so consumption of dairy products like yoghurt is an effective (and delicious) way to get better sleep.
4. Cherries
As mentioned above, melatonin is the hormone that control’s our body’s own internal clocks, and cherries are one of the few natural foods that contain it.
5. Kale
Green, leafy vegetables such as kale have been also known to provide healthy doses of calcium, which is an essential mineral in terms of getting good quality sleep.
6. Banana
While they’re most well-known for being a rich source of potassium, bananas are also a reliable source of the very important, melatonin-producing vitamin B6.
7. Rice
Research that suggested that foodstuffs with a high Glycemic Index (GI) can significantly slash the time required to fall asleep of an evening, and rice is a great example.
8. Chickpeas
Chickpeas are also one of the best sources of the ever-important vitamin B6, which produces the hormone we need when it comes time to fall asleep.
9. Sweet potato
These delicious vegetables are a sleeper’s dream. Not only do they provide sleep-promoting complex carbohydrates, they also contain muscle-relaxing potassium.
10. Honey
Containing just the right amount of glucose, honey can help shut off orexin, the chemical in your brain that is known to trigger alertness. A tablespoon should do!
What do you think of our list? What do you do when you’re struggling to sleep? Let us know in the comments below.
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