If You’re Going To Eat Before Bed, Go With These 5 Foods

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If there’s one thing health professionals can agree on, it’s the importance of sleep. Getting a full night’s rest can come with a whole bunch of health benefits ranging from an overall better mood to a clearer mind to a better memory to an improved immunity. But if you don’t get the right amount of sleep, you’ll have to pay some serious consequences.

Ever since we were little, people have said, “Don’t eat before bed.” It turns out, however, that not all late-night snacking is bad. A recent study on the health impact of nighttime eating shows that rumored negative outcomes may not occur when the food you choose to eat comes in small portions, is nutrient-dense and is low energy. So if you’re going to eat before bed, just be smart with your selection. Try to avoid acidic foods, fatty foods, caffeine and sugar, and go with these snacks instead.

1. Whole Grains

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Eating whole grains like bread, crackers, pasta, rice or cereal about an hour or two before bed can help release serotonin, melatonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain that encourage sleep. Foods with carbs can help tryptophan-rich foods get absorbed by the brain according to registered dietitian nutritionist Lindsey Joe. Although, don’t get carried away unless you want to end up tossing and turning during the night.

2. Cherries

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Cherries are one of the few natural foods that contain melatonin, which is a hormone that plays a role in your natural sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin might reduce the time it takes you to fall asleep, and its effects are mild. A small study on the effects of tart cherry juice on the sleep of adults with insomnia found the beverage to be an effective sleep aid. So go buy yourself a bag of cherries to munch on before bed.

3. Bananas

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Foods that are high in magnesium like nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens, bananas, beans and lentils are just what you might need to fall asleep. Magnesium has a positive effect on quality of sleep according to this study on insomnia in elderly subjects. Foods high magnesium can help to calm stress hormones. When people are chronically stressed, they can become deficient in magnesium, and we all know how hard it is to sleep when we’re stressed. Other foods that are high in magnesium include dates, dried figs, mangoes, oats, shrimp and tuna.

4. Yogurt

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An awesome sleep-inducing snack would be Greek yogurt with honey and sliced bananas. All three of these ingredients contain tryptophan, and bananas are a rich source of potassium and carbohydrates. Potassium is also considered a sleep-promoting enzyme. Yogurt is low-calorie and high in protein, so it’ll curb any hunger cravings you have before bed.

5. Turkey

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There’s a reason why every needs to take a nap after Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey is one of the most well-known sources of tryptophan. Eating tryptophan-rich foods or taking tryptophan supplements can help to bring on a natural calming effect and induce sleep. Turkey or peanut butter will make you full before bed and you’ll get that added dose of protein.