It's no surprise that an evening cup of coffee might disrupt your sleep. But don't forget about less obvious caffeine sources, like chocolate, cola, and tea. Even decaf coffee has a trace of it -- but not enough to be a problem. For better sleep, cut all caffeine from your diet 4 to 6 hours before bedtime.
Avoid or limit naps. Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol, and don't use nicotine. Avoid large meals and beverages before bedtime. Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep and only use it for sex or sleep.
The citrus in oranges, clementines, grapefruits, tangerines, lemons and kumquats will cause your stomach to produce excessive amounts of acid that will make it very difficult for you to sleep. On the other hand, cherries will actually help you fall asleep.
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.
Eating certain fruits before bed may also help you sleep better. One study found that consumption of pineapple, oranges, and bananas. View Source increased melatonin production about two hours later. Kiwis have also been shown to have some sleep-inducing properties.
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.
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.
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.
Curd and yoghurt can actually impair digestion, if you have a weak digestive system and eat them at night. “People with digestion issues such as acidity, acid reflux or indigestion should avoid yoghurt or curd at night as it can cause constipation when the system is sluggish and sleep-ready.
Best for better sleep:
An ounce of cheese and a few whole-grain crackers is an excellent choice for a pre-bed nosh. The calcium in cheese helps your body use the tryptophan that's naturally found in dairy to make melatonin, a hormone produced in a tiny gland in the middle of your brain.
Raw and unfiltered honey can hydrate your skin, soothe your throat, help heal wounds and sweeten everything it touches, but it can also help you get a sweet night's sleep. Raw honey, eaten just before bed, helps you snooze in two general ways: It provides easy-to-access fuel for your brain throughout the night.
Avocado lovers, rejoice: “Not only are avocados a good source of magnesium, which is helpful in relaxation, but they also contain more potassium than bananas,” says Cralle. Boosting your potassium intake can help improve sleep efficiency and reduce nighttime wake-ups.
Carbohydrate-rich foods like toast trigger insulin production. This induces sleep by speeding up the release of tryptophan, a chemical that helps to relax the body and send it off to sleep.
When's the best time to stop drinking water? It's often recommended that you should stop drinking water two hours before going to bed. This way, you're not flooding your body with extra fluids that may cause an unwanted trip to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
Drinking water before bed might help ward off dehydration. View Source while you sleep, and it may also help you attain the drop in core body temperature. View Source that helps induce sleepiness.
Cereal: The breakfast favourite is great for a midnight snack, too. A low-sugar option such as Weetabix is packed with fibre, which regulates sugar levels and helps you stay full for longer, stopping you from waking up hungry.
Turns out it is rich in magnesium, a mineral that helps the body and brain relax and regulate melatonin. It's also naturally high in tryptophan. Blueberries are beneficial because they are loaded with antioxidants that protect us from stress caused by sleep disorders and help support brain health and memory.