5 Food That Help You Get Sound Sleep

Most of us fall asleep soon after laying our heads on our pillows, but many people have trouble going to sleep at a reasonable hour every night.According to the National Sleep Foundation, an average adult needs a minimum of 7-9 hours of daily sleep to remain physically and mentally functional in all spheres of his/her life.

This may not seem like a tall order on paper, but in reality, most people sleep an average of only about six hours. In fact, more than 50 million Americans don’t get enough sleep.Sleeping troubles are often disregarded as a minor hiccup in your daily routine rather than a serious grouse. While that may be true if you only encounter them once in a while, generalized neglect for adequate sleep can take a serious toll on your body and mind.

* Cherries

Cherries contain a good amount of melatonin, the chemical that helps control the body’s internal clock. According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Botany, eating a handful of cherries, especially tart cherries, a few hours before going to bed could help you sleep better.If fresh cherries are not available, you can opt for tart cherry juice or even dried or frozen tart cherries. According to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and University of Rochester, people with chronic insomnia may find relief by drinking a cup of tart cherry juice twice daily until their condition improves.

* Milk with Honey

Drinking a glass of milk before bedtime could also help you fall asleep. Milk contains the amino acid tryptophan, a precursor to the brain chemical serotonin. Tryptophan and serotonin play a role in helping you sleep.Research has shown that drinking a glass of milk with honey and drinking milk with breakfast may help improve sleep patterns.Plus, milk is a good source of calcium, which may help regulate melatonin production. Along with milk, you can eat other dairy products such as yogurt and cheese. These may be more tolerable for those with lactose intolerance.

* Jasmine Rice

According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who ate jasmine rice, which has a high glycemic index, for dinner fell asleep faster compared with those who ate other types of rice with a low glycemic index.The high glycemic index of jasmine rice makes the body digest it at a faster speed compared with whole grains such as brown rice. High-glycemic foods boost the production of tryptophan and serotonin in the blood, thus encouraging sleep.Therefore, eat jasmine rice or other high-glycemic index grains to significantly cut the time it takes you to fall asleep. Keep in mind that portion size should be kept in moderation and as part of a balanced meal.

* Walnuts

Regular intake of these brain-shaped nuts increases the blood levels of the sleep-friendly hormone melatonin, leading to improved sleep quality.Snacking on walnuts close to bedtime, or throughout the day, is perhaps one of the most delicious ways to help you drift off with ease.The recommended serving size for walnuts is about 30 grams, which translates to 14 halves.

* Almonds

Almonds are a good source of magnesium, which promotes both sleep and muscle relaxation. A study conducted on elderly people and subsequently published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences lends support to this beneficial attribute of magnesium.According to this study, supplementing the diet of the subjects with almonds appeared to improve subjective and objective measures of insomnia in elderly people. To conclude, magnesium was proposed as a useful instrument in managing sleep disorders in the elderly.