Diet and Sleep

February 1, 2010 by Elaine Jackson  
Filed under weight loss

Your general health and body weight not just depend on what you eat but also on how much you sleep and how good your sleep is. Things that you eat can affect your sleep and its quality seriously. Some can improve it but some can make your sleep difficult.

Foods like green leafy vegetables, fruits, cereals and whole grain breads, mushrooms actually can help you sleep better. Additionally, spices like dill, sage and basil for example also can aid in improving your sleep.

Everyone remember the days when we were little, when cup of warm milk helped us to fall asleep much better. There’s an explanation to that. Milk has tryptophan in it which helps in creating the hormone that controls sleep called serotonin.

Apart from milk tryptophan can be found in products such as honey, turkey, egg whites and tuna, which are considered to be the sleep improving snacks.

Caffeine is what you should avoid before your bedtime. This stimulant can help you in the morning to wake up quicker but it’s not good if you’re trying to fall asleep. Chocolate, coffee, tea, soft drinks, cocoa all contain caffeine so these products better leave for the next day.

Also tyramine and tyramine rich foods like cheese, bacon, sugar, tomatoes and ham should be avoided.

Spicy food also can potentially disturb your rest because there’s always a risk of experiencing indigestion or heartburn. Alcohol is another thing to avoid, even if from the first point of view it seems to aid sleep by making you tired and sleepy.

The amounts you eat also have an impact on the quality of your sleep. It’s recommended to have light meals in the evening. This way potential indigestion, bloating or overall discomfort can be avoided.

Additionally, to improve your sleep you can take vitamins and supplements. Supplements that include vitamins B6 and B12, calcium, magnesium and valerian should help you.

As you can see that eating affect you sleep. Having a good sleep is important to be healthy and feel good so change your eating habits to have a better sleep.

Find out also how to lose weight quickly and which is the top rated diet pill.