Based on studies, it’s estimated that up to 50% of the world’s population has insomnia, with many other people experiencing short-term sleep disorder symptoms too. There are plenty of different delicious foods you can eat before bedtime or take a drink that has a calming effect with you to help you get a good night’s sleep.
Sweet and sleep-inducing
Sweet cottage cheese pancakes with raspberry sauce is a traditional Russian breakfast dish, but there’s a good reason to eat this for dessert instead. Cottage cheese, and any foods that are high in lean protein, contain tryptophan, an amino acid linked to increased serotonin levels, an important chemical for sleep. The raspberries used for the sauce contain high amounts of melatonin, making it a perfect combination. For extra melatonin, top the pancakes with fresh or frozen raspberries too. Other fruits also contain high levels of melatonin and make a perfect, healthy bedtime snack, including cherry juice, bananas, pineapple, and oranges. Research has found that eating two kiwis before bed can increase sleep duration by an hour over the course of a month.
Relaxing drinks
Taking a warm cup of milk or hot cocoa to bed is a well-known tradition to help you wind down for the evening and get some sleep. In fact, this psychological link between these drinks and bedtime can be powerful enough to make you sleepy, but research has also found a link between the tryptophan and melatonin content of milk and improved sleep. Cups of tea can also help you to relax, including a cup of decaffeinated English tea, chamomile, ginger, and peppermint.
Combine it with a good bed
Chasing lots of delicious sleep-inducing foods down with relaxing drinks is all well and good, but if your bed and mattress aren’t up to scratch then it’s all a bit of a waste of time. 92% of people believe that a comfortable mattress is key to a good night’s sleep, which is backed up by BedTester.com. However, there’s an overwhelming amount of mattresses to pick from, all varying in how firm they are, the size and what they’re made from. Do your research when shopping for the perfect mattress so that you can find the best match for you to enable a good night’s sleep.
Sleep-inducing foods and drinks can help to relieve symptoms of insomnia, or just help you to settle down quicker. As with a cup of milk, over time you’ll start to associate certain foods with sleeping, which will help you to wind down both physically and psychologically too.