The body is an amazing machine. The food we eat is the fuel that makes the body function. You can never underestimate the importance of some foods when it comes to certain body functions. It’s all tied together to help people stay as healthy as possible. With that being said, did you know there are certain foods that may increase your ability to sleep and improve the quality of your rest?
According to experts and some scientists, there are many foods that can play a role in helping humans sleep better. The good news is some of these foods are very popular and delicious. Let’s take a look a six foods you might want to consider consuming if your sleep isn’t what you want it to be.
Almonds
It’s surprising just how nutritious almonds can be. The fact is one ounce of almonds will provide essential vitamins like phosphorus (14% of daily requirement), manganese (32% of daily requirement) and riboflavin (17% of daily requirement). Of course it doesn’t hurt that almonds taste good and can be used in a wide range of recipes.
As far as helping with sleep, it’s the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin and magnesium found in almonds that make the difference. As for the magnesium, it has properties that help reduce inflammation in the body. That helps people feel better, which increases their capacity to sleep.
Walnuts
Along the same vane as almonds, walnuts are another nut that’s known to produce better sleep. It has the same sleep-regulating hormone melatonin and magnesium that’s found in almonds. It also has omega-3 fatty acids that help with the production of serotonin, one of the body’s primary sleep-enhancing brain chemicals.
Turkey
You probably thought dad falling asleep in front of the TV on Thanksgiving day had something to do with him be lazy. Well, it turns out that turkey has properties that promote sleep. Turkey is loaded with the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan plays a key role in prompting the production of the sleep-regulating hormone melatonin, There is also evidence that the proteins found in turkey help create a sense of being tired.
Kiwi
If you enjoy eating fruits, kiwi would be the one you want to focus on if you’re looking to improve your sleeping habits. Studies indicate that the serotonin and antioxidants in this tropical fruit will increase the likelihood you’ll fall asleep faster than you would if you didn’t eat kiwi before bedtime.
White Rice
While there’s no evidence that people in Asian cultures sleep better that people in the west, there are studies that show eating white rice close to bedtime will increase one’s ability to fall asleep. The primary culprit responsible for this phenomenon is thought to be the food’s high glycemic index.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fishes like salmon are wonderful sources of protein, They also have chemicals and acids that promote better sleep. That would include omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and serotonin.
If your sleep patterns concern you, you might want to address said issues through better nutrition. It’s a good guess that any combination of the aforementioned foods would help you get a better night’s sleep. At the least, you’ll get many of the essential vitamins and acids your body needs to function properly.
