Getting a good night’s sleep is crucial not just for a productive workday but also for one’s overall health. Experts say a human adult needs at least seven hours of sleep every night to remain healthy.
However, as we all know, getting this much sleep is challenging. Some workers have trouble sleeping because they’re overworked.
This is because some bosses think working at home means their employees are available twenty-four/seven. Others have difficulty because they are experiencing sleep disorders like insomnia or anxiety.
One way to help you sleep better is by eating or drinking bedtime snacks and drinks. But you shouldn’t just eat any kind of snack before sleeping.
You should pick foods with serotonin for better sleep. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a vital part in many bodily functions, such as regulating your mood, digestion, and sleep.
So, what are these food that makes you sleepy? Here are some bedtime snacks and drinks that can help you sleep better at night.
Warm Milk.
When listing the bedtime snacks or drinks that help with sleep, we shouldn’t forget to mention warm milk. Drinking it before bedtime helps relieve stress and provides better sleep quality.
Warm milk contains tryptophan, melatonin, calcium, and vitamin D, all of which help promote sleep.
Tryptophan, in particular, is cited as why milk improves your sleep. Aside from tryptophan, scientists discovered a combination of milk peptides called casein tryptic hydrolysate (CTH).
Besides milk’s sleep-inducing properties, another theory states that our childhood association with milk and bedtime can also help improve your sleep quality.
In addition to helping you sleep, milk also makes an ideal bedtime snack because it helps reduce your weight. It also aids in building muscles, improves your metabolism, and reduces your appetite.
Chamomile Tea.
If you’re lactose intolerant, you can drink chamomile tea instead. This type of tea is famous for its flavones, antioxidants that reduce inflammation which causes diseases like cancer and heart disease.
But more importantly, Chamomile Tea contains apigenin. Apigenin is an antioxidant that binds to your brain and helps improve sleep and reduce insomnia. It also reduces anxiety and depression, which could also further help you sleep better.
A 2011 study of 34 adults found that those who consumed 270 mg of chamomile extract twice daily for twenty-eight days fell asleep fifteen minutes faster than those who didn’t. In addition, those who consumed chamomile were more likely to sleep through the night as well.
Fatty Fish.
If you’re looking for an ulam or palaman for your sandwich to eat for dinner that’ll help you sleep better, consider fatty fish. These include salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines.
What separates these fish from the others? For starters, fatty fish has high amounts of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. These two combined can improve your sleep quality as they improve your body’s production of serotonin.
Besides helping you sleep better at night, omega-3 boosts brain health and helps protect against heart disease.
Nuts.
Is the difficulty of going to sleep driving you nuts? If so, then try eating some nuts before you go to bed.
Several types of nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, are a great source of melatonin. This hormone regulates your body clock so that you get sleepy at a reasonable hour.
Additionally, nuts contain magnesium and zinc, which helps people who have insomnia.
Rice.
No Filipino meal, except perhaps breakfast, is complete without at least a cup of rice. Rice contains many vitamins and minerals, such as folate, thiamine, and carbohydrates, which help fuel and maintain our bodies.
Surprisingly, the carbs in rice help people get better sleep, as it spikes one’s blood sugar rapidly and then lets it crash.
According to a 2014 study that compared the sleeping habits of adults who ate rice, noodles, or bread, those who consumed rice had better and longer sleep than those who ate bread or noodles.
However, to avoid gaining weight, you should still consume rice in moderation.
Kiwi.
One of the best bedtime snacks or drinks that can improve your sleep is kiwi. Kiwis contain serotonin, a hormone that, as previously mentioned, helps regulate your sleep cycle. In addition, kiwi also has high antioxidant levels, which further aid sleep.
Daily consumption of kiwi improves not just the quality of your sleep but its duration too. According to a study conducted in Taiwan, eating kiwis an hour before bedtime causes you to fall asleep faster and increases the quality of your sleep.
Tart Cherries and Tart Cherry Juice.
Another fruit that can help you sleep better are tart cherries. This fruit contains high amounts of melatonin and is rich in antioxidants and potassium. Its juice also promotes sleepiness and can even relieve insomnia.
One study discovered that adults with insomnia who drank 8 ounces (240ml) of tart berry juice two times a day for two weeks enjoyed better sleep as compared to before they drank the juice.
A Hearty Meal Leads to Healthy Sleep.
It’s not always easy to get ample rest theFse days. However, trying the aforementioned bedtime snacks and drinks can help you catch some much-needed sleep.
Of course, knowing the best healthy snacks and drinks to eat to help you sleep isn’t enough to guarantee that you’ll get a good night’s rest. You should also improve your sleep schedule by establishing healthy routines and exercising regularly.
By doing all of these, you’ll have an easier time catching more Zzzs and waking up refreshed and ready for tomorrow’s work.
If you’re still dreaming about landing an online job, it’s time to wake up, as Remote Staff is here to help. Our jobs list has a wide range of positions available for you to choose from, so you’ll never run out of options. Good luck!
