How to Eat for a Good Night's Sleep

Be kind to your tummy so it will leave you alone when you want to rest.

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You are getting very sleepy -- or will soon if the follow the advice in these Howcast videos about overcoming sleeping issues.

You Will Need

  • High-protein foods
  • Foods high in calcium and magnesium
  • Salad with fruit
  • Comfort food
  • Chamomile tea
  • Ginger
  • Warm milk

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Give yourself time to digest

    Eat no less than four hours before turning in. Avoid any before-bed snacks, especially grains and sugars.

  2. Step 2

    Digest high protein

    Digest high-protein food, such as meat, fish, greens, and eggs, late in the day. The amino acid L-tryptophan, which these provide, will release melatonin and serotonin for good sleep.

  3. Step 3

    Calm the mind

    Include dairy products, broccoli, chickpeas, nuts, and seeds in your meal a few hours before bed to elevate calcium and magnesium levels. Research shows that calcium and magnesium calm the mind.

  4. Always avoid alcohol and caffeine before bed, or entirely, as these can disrupt sleep.

  5. Step 4

    Eat salad with fruit

    Eat salads with fruits, such as apples or pears, which are known to calm the digestive system.

  6. Step 5

    Consume comfort foods

    Consume comfort foods like chicken soup that encourage fond memories and make you happy and restful.

  7. Eating a light and healthy diet will keep your weight down and guard against sleep apnea.

  8. Step 6

    Drink tea

    Drink chamomile tea with ginger before going to bed to aid and settle your digestive system. Warm milk can be a sleep aid as well.

  9. Did you know? The world’s largest cupcake was baked in 2009. It contained 2 million calories and was sold in pieces to benefit breast cancer research.

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