Carbohydrate Snacks
Eating carbohydrates stimulates your body to produce insulin, clearing many amino acids that compete with tryptophan from your bloodstream. Tryptophan acts as a sleep inducer, and having more of it reach your brain promotes faster and deeper sleep.
Cherries
Cherries have been a wonder food for insomniacs, and substantial research backs that up. For example, a team of scientists at Louisiana State University found that insomniacs who drank a glass of unsweetened cherry juice twice a day for two weeks got an average of 84 minutes more sleep per night.
Cherries are rich in two natural sleep-inducing chemicals, the hormone melatonin (a natural part of your body’s day/night cycle) and the amino acid tryptophan.
Seafood
Many cold-water fish, algae, and seaweed contain naturally high omega-3 fatty acids. Omega 3 has long been linked to brain health and is recommended by many dementia support groups. New research suggests that omega 3 might also have beneficial short-term effects. A team from the University of Oxford found children taking supplements went to sleep faster and had fewer overall disturbances.
Fruit
Aside from cherries, many other fruits contain high melatonin levels, which are naturally produced in your body in dark periods—pineapples, bananas, oranges, walnuts, and almonds. One recent study found that eating pineapple can double your melatonin levels.
Herbal Teas
Herbal Teas have long been marketed as stress-relieving, relaxing drinks, and many swear by them as bedtime remedies. Chamomile and Valerian teas are particularly noted for their sleep-inducing properties, and valerian, in particular, has been shown to act as a natural sedative. Unfortunately, there is little firm medical evidence on the effectiveness of these teas, aside from noting that valerian is a sedative. It may well be that some of the effects are psychological. Nonetheless, at the very least, many find them relaxing and stress-reducing, which will certainly help you drop off!
Food and Drink to Avoid Before Bedtime
Alcohol
Although many find that a few glasses of wine help them drop off in the evening, alcohol will often reduce the quality and quantity of your sleep. Alcohol is a biphasic drug, which has some stimulant effects before acting more like a depressant.
As a result, this is why many people will hit a point of feeling deflated after a night out. However, sleep may become more manageable.
Alcohol interferes with your brain’s ability to get critical REM sleep, which helps with memory and creative thinking. Also, drinks like red wine contain a chemical named tyramine, which, when metabolised, acts as a brain stimulant, a recipe for disturbed sleep and bad dreams!
Caffeine
It might go without saying, but many people don’t realise that their late-night coffee will make sleeping more difficult. Many people don’t realise that caffeine is very slow to break down in your body; 25% of the caffeine you consume will still be in your body 10 hours later. So long after you stop feeling energised by a coffee, you’ll still find it more challenging to go to sleep, so try and cut out cups later in the day.
Spice
Suppose you are having a spicy meal before bedtime is like giving your stomach a workout it doesn’t need. Even if you can eat the hottest curries without discomfort, your stomach will still be in overdrive trying to break down capsaicin, the main active ingredient of chilies, and lead to more extended periods of wakefulness before you drop off.