Potatoes Contain Sleep-Supporting Vitamins and Minerals “They have the right balance of nutrients like potassium and vitamin B6 to stimulate the production of the sleep hormones serotonin and melatonin,” says Scharman Draughon.
Potatoes are loaded with carbohydrates, which actually cause you to become sleepy as they are digested and metabolized.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, the snacks that can help you stay awake are: green tea, chocolate, whole grains, fruits, and protein. Given these guidelines, we found a handful of no-prep, energizing snacks to have on-hand.
You've probably noticed that you feel calmer and more content after digging into a yummy baked potato or plate of home fries. And researchers may have figured out why: Potatoes boast rich stores of tryptophan and potassium — nutrients your brain and digestive tract use to produce the mood-steadying hormone serotonin.
Potatoes Contain Sleep-Supporting Vitamins and Minerals
“They have the right balance of nutrients like potassium and vitamin B6 to stimulate the production of the sleep hormones serotonin and melatonin,” says Scharman Draughon.
Helps to Relax. According to the book Healing Foods, white potatoes are rich in tryptophan, which has natural sedative properties.
Eggs and fish are higher melatonin-containing food groups in animal foods, whereas in plant foods, nuts are with the highest content of melatonin. Some kinds of mushrooms, cereals and germinated legumes or seeds are also good dietary sources of melatonin.
Calming activities that reduce stress may help people sleep more deeply. Relaxation exercises, deep breathing, yoga, and meditation can naturally reduce anxiety and may improve sleep.
Carbohydrates help the body absorb tryptophan. For these reasons, eating a meal rich in both protein and carbohydrates may make a person feel sleepy. Tryptophan occurs in foods that are rich in protein.
1. Cherries. Cherries (especially sour cherries like the Montmorency variety) are one of the only (and highest) natural food sources of melatonin. Studies have shown a boost in circulating melatonin after consumption of cherries, though sweet cherries have half the melatonin content as sour cherries.
Potatoes are a good source of fiber, which can help you lose weight by keeping you full longer. Fiber can help prevent heart disease by keeping cholesterol and blood sugar levels in check. Potatoes are also full of antioxidants that work to prevent diseases and vitamins that help your body function properly.
You may think that it can help you sleep but do you know that it also spikes your blood sugar levels, making you feel restless. Plants from the nightshade family such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and goji berries produce a natural pesticide called glycoalkaloids.
They're also a good source of fiber, which can help you feel fuller longer and act as an appetite suppressant, Ansel says. A large baked potato contains more than 7 grams of fiber, which Ansel points out is “more than you'd get from three slices of whole-wheat bread.” It doesn't stop there.
Some people with insomnia experience changes in their sleep cycles and, as a result, may have more stage 1 sleep and less deep sleep. Stress and aging can also reduce levels of deep sleep. Additionally, people with conditions such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease experience less slow wave sleep.
Melatonin secretion decreases during aging. Reduced melatonin levels are also observed in various diseases, such as types of dementia, some mood disorders, severe pain, cancer, and diabetes type 2. Melatonin dysfunction is frequently related to deviations in amplitudes, phasing, and coupling of circadian rhythms.
Certain nutrients in bananas are associated with sleep. For example, bananas contain tryptophan and vitamin B6, which are important for the production of serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger) that regulates sleep.
Milk. A glass of warm milk is a well-known and common sleep remedy, and for good reason! Milk is one of the best dietary sources of melatonin. It also contains the amino acid tryptophan, which increases concentrations of melatonin and serotonin and helps you drift off to sleep easier.
In wheat grains diazepam, N-desmethyldiazepam, delorazepam, deschloro-diazepam, delormetazepam, lormetazepam and isodiazepam were identified, while potato tuber contained diazepam, N-desmethyldiazepam, delorazepam, lorazepam and delormetazepam. The concentration of the benzodiazepines (BZ) was in the low ppb range.
According to Lauren Popeck, RD, a dietitian at Orlando Health, Greek yogurt is perfect for bedtime, because it contains the sleep-inducing chemical tryptophan. And because it's such a rich source of protein, Greek yogurt can also help you avoid that same glucose spike.
The combination of milk and honey is the best to induce sleep and has been practiced for a long time. Milk contains amino acid tryptophan, which increases the amount of a hormone that works as a natural sedative.