Best and Worst Foods for Sleep

What is bedtime
Since the early birds to night owls, we can all agree that when we finally going on the pillow, we actually want to sleep our minds, thank you.

Nothing more annoying than insomnia and growing evidence that sleep is essential for good health. Although somewhat irregular studies when it comes to what foods help or sleep poorly, anecdotal evidence suggests that some of the items consumed at bedtime is probably as "sleep promoters", while others are "thieves sleep, "says Russell Rosenberg, Ph.D., executive director of the National Sleep Foundation.

Here is a list of potential right and wrong when it comes to some shut eye comes.

Cherry
Best

Cherry is one of the few natural foods contain melatonin, a chemical that helps control the body's internal clock, said Keri Gans, a nutritionist in New York and the author of a small change in diet.

A study was small have discovered that drinking tart cherry juice led to small improvements in the duration and quality of sleep in adults who suffered from chronic insomnia. (And travelers often take melatonin capsule against jet lag).

Why not a little cherries, cake or other, to promote sleep?

Bacon Cheeseburger
Worse

These stratospheric fat fast food is guaranteed to be a dream killer.

Fat stimulates the production of stomach acid, which can spread into the esophagus, causing heartburn. Fatty foods can weaken the lower esophageal sphincter, the barrier between the stomach and esophagus, making it even easier to get to the acid in the wrong places.

In fact, there is almost nothing to recommend this type of fat, salt indulgence Laden, if you maintain your health, including sleep quality as.

Milk
Best

You may have fond memories of your mother or your grandmother, so that you have a glass of warm milk to sleep.

It can not be just an old wives tale. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid, a precursor of cerebral serotonin chemical.

Although controversial, some people believe that tryptophan and serotonin can make it easier to sleep. Or maybe just a glass of milk provides soothing memories of childhood that will help you drift off.

Some Wine
Worse

Drinking any kind of "terrible" to sleep, says Rosenberg. Why is that? He quickly learns your system and lets you wake up several times a night.

One study showed that a glass of vodka or bourbon mixed with increasing decaffeinated soda at bedtime the amount of time women wake up at night on 15 minutes. In addition, it reduces the nocturnal rest period 19 minutes and decreased sleep quality.

If you can not consume alcohol for our own good, do it for your partner. "Alcohol makes snoring worse, so you and your bed affect potential partner," said Rosenberg.

Jasmine Rice
Best

Jasmine rice is high on the glycemic index, which means that the body digests slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream.

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that in many rice jasmine 2007, four hours before going to bed, the amount of time when food compared to a food summit in glycemic fall in the same range time to sleep in half, reduce.

The authors believe that high glycemic foods can produce tryptophan.

Coffee
Worse

Coffee contains caffeine which is a stimulant on the central nervous system. Translation: Java drink at bedtime will keep you in the night too closely.

Of course, people differ in their sensitivity to caffeine, and it is generally the amount of caffeine you're used to a lot on the base, said Timothy Rohrs, Ph.D., principal investigator and sleep disorders Henry Ford Center Research in Detroit.

If you do not know, miss your Java tolerance, especially in the late afternoon.

Fortified cereals
Best

Carbohydrates are generally good for sleeping, but it is not a good idea on a box of cookies at bedtime (or anytime) drink.

Instead, try a bowl of cereal or shredded wheat, the "good" included, or complex carbohydrates. Even better, goes well with cereal with milk, which has its own sleep-promoting properties. "It's two for the price of one," says Rosenberg.

Other complex carbohydrates, quinoa, barley, buckwheat.

Black Chocolate
Worse

Chocolate contains not only calories, but caffeine, particularly dark chocolate.

Milk chocolate 1.55 oz Hershey, for example, contains about 12 milligrams of caffeine, or as much as three cups of decaffeinated coffee.

A special dark band Hershey 20 milligrams of caffeine, about the same as a half-ounce espresso. Chocolate also contains theobromine, other stimulants that can increase heart rate and difficulty sleeping.

Bananas
Best

Bananas can help promote sleep because they contain the natural muscle relaxants, magnesium and potassium, said Hans. They are also carbohydrates that contribute that will make you drowsy and.

In fact, bananas win situation in general. "They shared health promoters," says Rosenberg. "We need potassium for heart health and cognitive function."