Hey there viewers!
Have you ever gone to bed, but felt hungry all the sudden?
It can be really testing when you need to sleep on time, but your stomach just won’t
let you!
Coffee is out of the question, unless you want to stay awake like an owl.
What should you eat?
In today’s video, we will be talking about foods that are good to eat before bed.
Instead of interrupting your body’s clock, these foods will help you catch a sound sleep.
Did almonds make it to the list?
Are tart cherries good?
What about kiwis?
We’re talking all that and more...
Turkey
Turkey isn’t just for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
It’s a great before-bed snack that will help you catch a good night’s sleep.
Turkey is not only delicious, it also contains an amino acid called tryptophan, which promotes
sleepiness.
Tryptophan increases the production of a sleep-regulating hormone called melatonin.
Another reason Turkey has the ability to put you to bed is that it is rich in protein.
There have been studies indicating that eating protein-rich foods before bed enhance your
sleep quality.
This popular ground beef replacement in sandwiches offers a high amount of protein, along with
nutrients like vitamin B6, B12, niacin, and selenium.
85 grams of roasted turkey contains as much as 25 g protein, which is equivalent to 870
ml of cow milk.
Turkey also aids in the maintenance of lean muscle mass and stability of insulin levels
after meals.
So after having turkey, it is less likely you’ll wake up throughout the night.
Almonds
Feel like having a snack before bed, but dreading the possibility it will lead to a calorie
surplus?
Have almonds instead.
It is great for your sleep, as well as body.
Almonds are tree nuts that offer several health benefits.
You can eat them raw or toasted as a snack.
Or add as a topping to healthy snacks like oatmeal.
Moreover, they are available in the sliced and flaked form.
You can also choose it in the form of nut butter to eat with a small banana, or use
as almond milk.
The reason we have included almonds on our list is that they are an excellent source
of melatonin- a hormone which supports the regulation of the sleeping and waking cycle.
28 grams of almonds provide 77 milligrams of magnesium and 76 milligrams of calcium.
This promotes muscle relaxation and encourages a relaxing, peaceful sleep.
Almonds are especially beneficial for those struggling with insomnia, as they improve
sleep quality.
They are also rich in vitamin E, riboflavin, and magnesium.
Since almonds are rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants, and monounsaturated fat, they can lower the
risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes.
Tart Cherries
Tart cherry is a fiber-rich fruit packed with nutrients that offers impressive health benefits.
Tart cherry is closely related to sweet cherry but it’s a bit more acidic.
It contains a significant amount of important nutrients including polyphenols, carotenoids,
vitamin C, and other bioactive compounds.
Consumption of cherries reduces the risk of several chronic inflammatory diseases like
arthritis and cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Additionally, cherries are a great source of tryptophan, serotonin, and melatonin.
Drinking tart cherry juice before bed helps you catch a peaceful sleep.
This is because Tart cherries contain a phytochemical called procyanidin B-2, which protects the
amino acid tryptophan in your blood.
Tryptophan is responsible for boosting the sleep-promoting hormone ‘melatonin’.
Studies have shown that consumption of 8 ounces of tart cherry juice twice a day helps adults
sleep an hour and a half longer than usual.
The sleep-promoting properties can be beneficial for those finding it difficult to fall asleep,
or those suffering from insomnia.
Just remember, an 8-ounce glass of 100% tart cherry juice carries 140 calories.
So do not forget to practice portion control if you are watching your weight.
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Chamomile Tea
Craving a hot beverage before bed?
As I said earlier, coffee is a no-go zone!
But what about chamomile tea?
Chamomile is preferred by health and wellness experts.
It’s loved for its rich supply of antioxidants called flavones.
The anti-inflammatory abilities of flavones help in reducing chronic inflammation, which
can be a leading cause of heart disease and cancer.
Drinking chamomile tea may boost the immune system as well as give you healthy skin.
In fact, it has been reported that some of the properties of chamomile tea are capable
of producing antidepressant effects on humans.
So drink chamomile before bed if you want to keep anxiety and depression away.
And not just this, chamomile tea is well known for its sleep assisting and sedating properties.
It contains an antioxidant called apigenin, which binds to certain receptors in your brain
that function like benzodiazepine.
Benzodiazepines are drugs used for inducing sleep and reducing anxiety.
Studies have found that drinking chamomile tea or its extract for a certain period of
time helped people sleep faster than usual.
People who regularly drink chamomile tea often report less night time wakening, improved
sleep quality, and the ability to fall asleep faster.
So maybe this lovely tea is indeed worth trying.
Before we move ahead with our next item, here is a video you might like.
Watch this to learn about the 7 signs of magnesium deficiency.
Kiwis
Most of us love Kiwi for a variety of reasons.
Now here’s another.
Turns out it is a great bedtime snack.
Kiwi fruit, also known as Chinese gooseberry, is a fuzzy-skinned nutrient-dense fruit.
It is loaded with vitamin C, dietary fiber and antioxidants.
It is also low in calories.
Medium-sized kiwi fruit contains 64 milligrams of vitamin C, which amounts to 85% of recommended
daily intake for adults.
It also has a decent amount of minerals like folate and potassium.
But the main reason we love eating kiwi before bed is that it helps us sleep better.
Studies show that people who ate kiwi before sleeping took less time in dozing off.
One particular piece of research observed 24 adults for 4 weeks.
They ate two kiwi fruits one hour before going to bed each night.
It was reported that the participants fell asleep 42% quicker than the days they didn’t
eat anything.
Also, their ability to sleep throughout the night without waking up improved, along with
an increase in sleep quality.
It has been suggested that kiwi’s antioxidant and serotonin content are responsible for
sleep-inducing benefits.
Walnuts
Walnuts are undoubtedly wonderful tree nuts that provide nutrition.
They are a great source of healthy fats like omega 3 and linoleic acid, as well as dietary
fiber, and protein.
These super-rich nutrition-dense tree nuts have more than 19 vitamins and minerals to
offer us.
You can consume walnuts in their raw form or roast slightly.
Use them as toppings for your smoothies and oatmeal.
Experts say walnuts reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by reducing cholesterol levels.
They boost brain health too.
And that’s not all- they are great for your sleep.
Walnuts are considered one of the best food sources of mezlatonin- the sleep-regulating
hormone we have been talking about since the beginning of the video.
Another reason walnuts promote better sleep is that they contain ALA, a type of omega
3 fatty acid that gets converted into DHA.
DHA boosts the production of serotonin, which is a sleep-enhancing brain chemical.
Serotonin, also known as the happy chemical, synthesizes melatonin, which governs our sleep
and wake cycle.
So if you want to sleep better, snack on a few walnuts before going to bed and improve
your sleep/wake cycle.
Pistachios
Do you love pistachios?
Here’s a reason to eat them more often.
Pistachios are rich in nutrients and an excellent source of antioxidants, fiber and protein.
The umpteen health benefits of pistachios can be credited to their high levels of antioxidants.
The best part is they are low in calories, provided you eat the roasted unsalted versions.
Its lutein and zeaxanthin content play a vital role in eye health.
It is believed eating pistachios may prevent eye disease from developing.
Moreover, pistachios are noticeable among all tree nuts for their sleep-inducing abilities.
They offer a higher amount of the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin, as compared to other nuts.
One ounce of shelled pistachio contains about 6.5 milligrams of melatonin, along with 165
calories.
While the amount of melatonin typically recommended for sound sleep is 0.5 to 5 milligrams.
So eat pistachios before going to bed in order to better regulate your sleep cycle.
Goji Berries
Goji berry, also known as Lycium barbarum, is a bright-colored fruit that has been used
as a medicinal herb and supplement for ages.
The red-orange color of these berries is due to their abundance of antioxidants like zeaxanthin
and carotenoids.
These help improve skin health.
Goji berries contain melatonin, which improves sleep quality and also helps protect your
skin against UV light.
This prevents skin damage.
A study showed that people who drank Goji berry juice before going to bed, reported
feelings of calmness and an improved sleep cycle.
They felt less tired throughout the day, and also found it much easier to wake up.
Yogurt
This pick isn’t just for delicious smoothies.
It helps you sleep better and fights off cravings.
As an excellent source of calcium, yogurt helps you keep your bones and muscles strong.
But calcium has another use as well.
Our bodies need calcium to make melatonin from the amino acid tryptophan.
Yogurt, specifically Greek yogurt, contains casein protein, which has been linked to reduced
hunger and cravings the following morning.
So eat unsweetened, plain yogurt before bed in case hunger strikes.
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