What to eat for better sleep

Foods to eat for better sleep:

Grapes

Grapes are the only fruit known to contain a unique, sleep-regulating hormone called melatonin. By adding grapes to your diet, you can help to boost your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, which allows you to get to sleep more quickly each night.

Cottage cheese

A protein snack before bed can do you the world of good, and cottage cheese is a perfect source of protein as it is slow to digest and distributes amino acids to your muscle tissues over a period of hours. Cottage cheese also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that can naturally induce sleep and help you get a better night's rest.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal makes a tasty breakfast food, especially during winter, but it also makes for a delicious supper, as the carbohydrates cause a serotonin release in the body. Serotonin is a feel-good hormone that decreases stress and puts you in a much calmer state of mind, and because oats are a slower digesting source of carbs, you won't wake up during the night with crashing blood sugar levels.

Warm milk

A glass of warm milk before bed promotes faster sleep for two reasons: It contains the golden ingredient, tryptophan amino acid, and secondly, many people find that drinking a warm liquid produces a soothing, relaxing effect.

Peanuts/peanut butter

A rich source of niacin, a nutrient that helps to boost the release of serotonin in your system, peanuts – or natural peanut butter, if you prefer ­– could be the perfect snack before bedtime to help you relax into a deep slumber.

Foods to avoid for better sleep:

Caffeine

It’s not just coffee that you need to avoid, but also the caffeine in soft drinks, some teas and chocolate. You don’t need to ditch caffeine from your diet altogether, but if you have any within four hours of bedtime, it may interfere with sleep. If problems persist, try going caffeine-free for a week or two to see if it makes a difference.

Alcohol

An alcoholic drink can make you drowsy, which makes some people think that a cheeky glass of wine or shot of whiskey before bed is a good idea. But the truth is, when you drink alcohol, your body metabolises the sugar, which can disrupt your ability to get to sleep if you overheat.

Sugar and chocolate

Simple carbohydrates including sugary treats and chocolate eaten just before bedtime can raise your body temperature and leave you restless. This is because they continually cause your blood sugar to spike and fall, which can throw your hormones that regulate metabolism and maintain your body's natural rhythms out of kilter.

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