Nearly 60 million Americans – more than the population of Italy – wake up tired and irritable every morning due to lack of sleep.
Aside from feeling cranky and lethargic, not getting enough sleep can cause serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease, depression, cognitive impairment, diabetes, and even weight gain.
Some people have trouble falling asleep. Others can't stay asleep. And then there are the people who have trouble turning life "off" and tucking into bed at a reasonable hour.
Yet the health benefits of a good night's rest are countless: sleep helps keep you happy, your brain sharp, your immune system strong, your waistline trim, your skin looking youthfuland lowers your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
Adding these foods to your diet may help to increase your odds of a successful slumber.
Put this on your food to improve your digestion and to fight away discomfort. Many people find that it even helps with heartburn, allowing you to relax and get some good sleep. Fresh is the best, but sometimes dried will work as well.
These nutritional powerhouses contain tryptophan, an amino acid that has been linked to sleep quality. They also offer abundant amounts of magnesium and potassium, notes UCLA's Avidan. "Both minerals help to relax muscles and may ease a painful charley horse that can wake you during the night," he says
Sage is a spice that people don't often think of, but it can actually really help you nod off quickly. It doesn't have much of a taste, but it can tame other tastes, making them feel much calmer to you. The scent is also soothing, making it a great choice for home cooking.
These berries seem to wake your mouth up, but after eating them you'll just want to laze in the sun. Put some in your cereal to ensure that you will sleep like a baby. Try not to overdo it as you will get a stomach ache and that might prevent you from sleeping.
Everyone knows how you feel after a big turkey dinner, but did you know it is the bird itself rather than the amount of food that you eat? The turkey actually helps to put you to sleep, ensuring that you get a great nights rest. Cooking turkey outside the holidays can really give you more control over your sleep schedule.
Chamomile and other herbal teas can put you right to sleep. Sip on them slowly and feel yourself start to drift off into the land of nod. This is usually one of the easiest ways to go to sleep, and brands like celestial seasonings actually have entire blends dedicated to this idea.
The starchy goodness that is rice will help you nod off to sleep. Fill your stomach and allow the digestion process to start, pushing you quickly towards sleep. You won't need more than half a cup, and you can cut a huge number of calories out of dinner as well.
This cheese has a calming effect and rarely upsets your stomach. Incorporate it into many different dishes to really see a difference. Try and avoid the string versions as they have too many preservatives.
Cherries, especially the tart varieties, are one of the few food sources of melatonin, the sleep hormone that regulates your internal clock. Recent studies have found that volunteers who drank tart cherry juice daily fell asleep sooner and slept better and longer
The protein in cheese provides sleep-inducing tryptophan, while the carbs in crackers may help you fall asleep faster. Gram for gram, cheddar cheese contains more tryptophan than turkey.
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), the main ingredient in hummus, are not only rich in tryptophan but also in folate and vitamin B-6. Folate helps to regulate sleep patterns, especially in older people, and vitamin B-6 helps to regulate your body clock. So spread some hummus on a small slice of bread for your before-bed snack
This superfood is rich in magnesium, a mineral that plays a key role in sleep. It's also a good source of potassium and protein to help you sleep through the night. Bonus: Lentils are high in fiber and low in fat, so you can enjoy them without worrying about piling on pounds.
America's favorite nutty spread is rich in tryptophan. Spread some peanut butter on a few whole-grain crackers, which provide carbs to help the tryptophan reach the brain more easily
Certain fruits can significantly boost natural levels of melatonin, which tend to decline as we age. Researchers found that levels of a melatonin marker were raised by more than 266 percent after eating pineapples, 180 percent after eating bananas and 47 percent after eating oranges
A cup or two of plain air-popped popcorn with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese to add some pizzazz will help speed you on your way to dreamland. The cheese contains sleep-promoting tryptophan, and the carbs in popcorn help the brain absorb the tryptophan more easily
Pumpkin seeds are packed with a variety of essential nutrients, including substantial amounts of tryptophan. Pair a small piece of carb-rich fruit with your pumpkin seed snack to help the sleep-inducing nutrients reach your brain
Tea made from the herb lemon balm contains naturally occurring oils with terpenes, organic compounds that can promote relaxation and better sleep. To brew your own soothing lemon balm tea, add 1 to 3 teaspoons of dried leaves to a cup of freshly boiled water. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes, then strain
In addition to being a natural source of melatonin, walnuts help your body respond better to stress. For extra flavor, toast them briefly on top of the stove in a dry skillet until they're golden brown
A handful of almonds not only relaxes you but it puts you in a restful state. Try to keep some on hand to munch on after dinner. They also help curb those late night cravings which is crucial right before bed!
Eat a bowl of cereal with no sugar in it to put your body in a restful state right before bed. Cornflakes and other whole grain cereals will do the job just perfectly.
Cottage cheese is packed with tons of protein which is what your body wants right before bed. Try having a cup before bed and see if you don't feel tired. You should be yawning in no time.
