Your sleep pattern can be impacted by all kinds of factors. Hormones, stress, health issues, the wrong bedding, temperature, and even what you eat. Eating a healthy balanced diet has a variety of benefits - including improved sleep.
Late night meals and snacks are digested during sleep. So what you choose is important. Greasy, heavy, fatty foods are harder to digest and could keep you awake due to indigestion and even heartburn. Sugary foods spike up your blood sugar and disrupt your natural sleep cycle. Plus drinks with alcohol or caffeine greatly impact the amount of REM deep sleep quality and quantity. It's best to snack on light foods and avoid those types of drinks too close to bedtime.
Here's some tips for great bedtime snacks and what to eat to help you catch the most Zzz's.
It's recommended to eat bedtime snacks containing tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body make serotonin - a chemical in the brain that aids with sleep. Some foods high in tryptophan include milk, salmon, eggs, poultry, and nuts. Other nutrients to look for to help promote sleep hormones, relax muscles and aid in the sleep process would be calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6. These would be in foods like: bananas, yogurt, kale, avocado, whole grains, quinoa, spinach, apples, and cheese. Plus, don't forget some teas including lavender and chamomile are said to relax muscles and calm your body.
Next time you want to grab for that midnight snack - make sure it's something to help your body get the best sleep possible.