Popcorn, Toast and Other Foods That Will Aid Your Sleep

Sleep is such an essential part of our everyday lives, but it’s so easily disrupted. Part of that can be attributed to the food you eat and particularly what you eat before bedtime. As it turns out there are some foods that are actually good for your sleeping habits.

Foods that will help you get a better sleep

The experts over at mattress company Amerisleep have revealed that the key to getting good sleep isn’t just in avoiding certain foods or drinks before bed. There are actually some snacks you can eat late at night that will really benefit a restful sleep.

This is what the experts recommend:

Popcorn

According to Amerisleep, when popcorn is air-popped and made with minimal oil or butter it can actually be pretty healthy at just 60 calories a serve. Drizzling it with coconut oil is actually a great way to add flavour and additional lauric acid.

Low-fat cottage cheese

A low-fat, high-protein snack like cottage cheese can help aid acid reflux or heartburn before bed, plus its packed with calcium which can regulate your production of melatonin.

Certain fruits

Snacks high in sugar can be detrimental before sleep but there are some fruits that are still good for your nighttime routine.

Amerisleep recommends cherries, as they are one of the few food sources of melatonin, or kiwi fruit, which is rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorus, folate and magnesium. Similarly, bananas can make a great snack as they contain muscle-relaxing materials like potassium and magnesium.

Salmon

It might not make the best last-minute snack, but eating salmon at dinner can be a wise choice for your sleep that night. According to Amerisleep:

“Recent British research found that having higher blood levels of DHA, the omega-3 fatty acid found in fatty fish, is associated with better sleep. But if you’re not a fan of fish, popping a 600-mg daily supplement is just as good.”

Toast

Carbs are well known for inducing a feeling of sleepiness. This is because carbohydrates impact insulin levels which research suggests may play a role in regulating our body’s sleep-wake clock. It’s a fine line because eating too many carbs can lead to interrupted sleep, but a piece of toast will do just fine.

Brazil nuts

Amerisleep says Brazil nuts work as a snack before bed as they are high in selenium, phosphorus and magnesium. They’re also great for vegetarians as most other sources of selenium are meat-based.

Alongside these snacks, some other things that may lead to better sleep include exercise during the day, getting more natural light and aiming for a consistent sleep cycle.

Now that your snacking is sorted check out some drinks that will also help your sleeping habits.