Getting extra hours of sleep is not only necessary but also beneficial for your health. In day-to-day life it is important to maintain physical and mental health. Lack of sleep can cause reduction of functionality and performance and sleep is important in order to regain strength. Adequate sleep is part of a healthy lifestyle and regardless of on-the-clock routine; the body needs to have its break.
Not many are aware, but the food you eat also plays a role in helping you to sleep better and longer. Foods which help include the following:
Soy such as tofu, miso and edamame, are rich in isoflavones. These compounds increase the production of serotonin, a brain chemical that influences the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Research has shown that adults who ate two or more soy servings a day slept longer and also reported best quality of sleep.
Kiwis are rich in vitamin C vitamin E, folate and serotonin. All of which will help in increasing the quality of sleep. This green fruit may be the ultimate pre-bed snack.
Fish, most fish especially salmon, halibut and tuna boost Vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin – a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness.
Yoghurts boast healthy doses of calcium and according to a research being calcium-deficient may make it difficult to fall asleep.
Banana is a good source of potassium and magnesium which are natural muscle relaxants.They also contain the amino acid L tryptophan, which in turn gets converted to serotonin and melatonin.
Kale is high in folate and calcium, which can help promote sleep. As said before, calcium is one mineral that plays an important role in inducing sleep.
Walnuts are a good source of tryptophan, a sleep-enhancing amino acid that helps make serotonin, which makes you feel drowsy at night.
Chamomile, a herbal tea used to relive insomnia and helps to promote a healthy sleep cycle and overall well-being. Compounds like apigenin, flavonoids, mucilages and coumarins are present in chamomile which will help in keeping the body calm and allowing for a more restful sleep.
Divya Purushotham
sanonutritionclinic
The writer is founder and chief nutritionist at Sano Holistic Nutrition Clinic