In an increasingly fast-paced time-poor world, a good night’s sleep, preferably 8 hours, interrupted is considered GOLD.
However, life of every age group in this day and age is stressful and this stress may keep people up at night. Every individual is overworked and overscheduled, trying to meet endless deadlines. Despite having days planned and packed down to the minute, a lot of folks have a lot of trouble getting decent shut eye. Some people may have a different kind of sleep related issue. They do not have any problems falling asleep, but more so staying asleep.
Nonetheless, nature seems to have a solution for every problem and sometimes never the other way around. But to keep in the spirit of good vibes going I’ll focus on the first one. So, before walking into a doctor’s office to get a prescription for something to help with sleep, give naturally occurring things a try. Other than an over dependence on pills, it will also save a few bucks, which can shamelessly be spent on a sugar overdose.
Check out these healthy late-night snacks…
Almonds to help you Sleep
For people who have trouble staying asleep, Almonds are a great natural cure. The issue of not being able to stay asleep can be due to a lack of magnesium and almonds are rich in this stuff! Also, almonds are great for bone health.
Dairy to help you Sleep
A warm glass of milk before bedtime did have its sleep benefits in childhood. Turns out milk isn’t the only dairy product that can help with getting a good night’s rest. Cheese can do just the same- without the milk after taste! And not just cheese, break out the yoghurt too.
Lettuce to help you Sleep
For the ones that like to get their greens in, then salad for dinner can go a long way than just keeping one in good shape. Lettuce has sleep inducing characteristics. So, if the dinner plate did not include lettuce, then brewing a tea is a great alternative. It’s pretty simple and effective; boil a few large lettuce leaves in a cup of water for 15 minutes and add a couple of sprigs of mint. Drink this before bed and you shall sleep like a baby. This phrase has never quite hit home with me, mainly because, I can’t get my baby to sleep… like a baby.
Pretzels?! Yes, they can help you sleep
If you have an 8 hour window to catch some shut eye and want to reduce the time it takes to actually fall asleep, then reach for that bag of pretzels. Yes, you read that right- PRETZELS! An increase in blood sugar and insulin levels cuts down the time it takes to actually fall asleep. Whether you can switch that up with a bucket of chocolate chip ice cream? Yeah, that might be pushing it.
Fish to help you sleep
Fish like tuna, halibut and salmon are rich in the vitamin B6 and this is the magical nutrient that helps make sleep inducing hormones, melatonin and serotonin so that you can sleep like a… Koala (Koalas sleep 22 hours a day!)
Chamomile Tea will help you sleep
Living up to clichés, chamomile tea is known widely to have sleep-inducing properties. It also acts as a mild sedative and may help numb the pain from the daily grind. On a serious note, this tea has made it across the centuries, so it’s worth a try. If you want to take your chances up a notch, then try adding a spoonful of honey. The sugar from the honey increases insulin levels, making it easier to dose off.
Cereal
For those who love breakfast for dinner, now you have a reason with solid scientific back up to indulge in a bowl of cereal every night. Carbs from the cereal and calcium from the milk are two great sources that can help you score some zzz’s.
Hummus
Lastly, for those who have knack for mid-Eastern cuisine, here’s another reason to not stop snacking on Hummus (the best dip ever!). Chickpeas are rich in tryptophan which make it easier to get some sleep and stay asleep. The one advantage of trying this even if it doesn’t work is that although you may not fall asleep, you get to eat lots of hummus.
Sleep is one of the best things on the planet that rejuvenate our bodies and comes for free. Don’t take it for granted. If you have spare time, stop scrolling on social media and go take a nap!
sound like you know what you?re talking about! Thanks