What to eat to fall asleep? 5 foods that will get rid of insomnia

Sleep and healthy lifestyle expert, President of Sontelle Group of Companies

Why does insomnia appear? What products will help you sleep?

Troubled by insomnia? Do not hurry to take sleeping pills. Very often the problem can be solved simply by adjusting your diet. A healthy night’s sleep is necessary not only for relaxation, but also to “reset” all the functions of the body. Without it, our concentration deteriorates, our immunity drops, and all internal body systems suffer.

What to do in such a situation? First of all, do not hurry to take pills. Of course, a light sedative with natural components can help to relax. But if we are talking about more serious drugs, it is better to postpone them to the last resort. And that – on the recommendation of a doctor.

How does nutrition affect sleep?

Let’s start with the fact that proper nutrition already has a positive effect on sleep. Not long ago, scientists conducted an experiment in which 13 men and 13 women spent five nights in a sleep laboratory. They went to bed at 22:00 and got up at 7:00.

For the first four days, the participants followed a strict diet. Their diet included nuts, vegetables, grains, and virtually no fatty or sweet foods. But the fifth day was “free”: the subjects could eat any products and did not limit themselves in any way. They ate chocolate, fast food and fatty food.

What did the scientists find out? When the participants ate right, they slept better and started the day with new energy. However, on the last day the picture was different – everyone woke up broken, sleep was often interrupted, was superficial, and the time to fall asleep significantly increased.

It turns out that a healthy diet in general has a positive effect not only on falling asleep, but also on the quality of sleep.

What products help to fall asleep?

If we are talking about “emergency help”, there are also a few useful products.

Bananas. They contain a lot of potassium and magnesium, which relaxes the muscles. They are also rich in tryptophan, a substance that stimulates the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone).

Almonds. Also can help in this situation. It also promotes the production of melatonin and contains a lot of magnesium – its deficiency is often observed in insomnia.

Red fish and peas. Rich in vitamin B6. It is necessary for the synthesis of melatonin in the body.

Milk. And, of course, the “grandmother’s” recipe – a glass of warm milk. It contains calcium and the amino acid tryptophan, which is necessary for the production of melatonin. In addition to the drink, you can use milk for oatmeal. One serving of it contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon and potassium – substances that promote good sleep. Just don’t overdo it with sweet additives. Large amounts of sugar can have a negative effect on sleep.