What to Eat Before Bed for a Better Nights Sleep

Getting enough sleep every night is incredibly important for your overall health and daily function. Normally, 8 hours of sleep a night is a good goal to set, however, this does depend on age and individual circumstances.

Getting the necessary amount of sleep a night can be difficult, however there are many strategies you can implement into your lifestyle to promote a good night's sleep. A good night's sleep can boost your immune system, energy levels and mood, and by including sleep-friendly foods in your diet, you will be catching all the Zzzz’s.

Here are 5 late night snacks to try to enhance your quality of sleep:

Bananas

Bananas contain a ton of potassium and magnesium, which will leave your muscles feeling relaxed, your stomach feeling full, and your head feeling sleepy!

Pistachios

Pistachios contain lots of melatonin, and unfortunately as we get older our bodies produce less of this hormone,which can lead to insomnia. Eating a handful of pistachios can help prevent late night tossing and turning.

Almonds

Almonds are a great source of both magnesium and melatonin, both of which are natural sleep-regulating hormones or brain chemicals. Magnesium is known to reduce levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, which is known to interrupt sleep. melatonin regulates your internal clock which signals to your body to prepare for sleep.

Popcorn

Popcorn is a whole-grain packed with carbohydrates. Popcorn is the perfect triple threat, making the perfect movie snack, post workouts snack, and pre-bedtime snack. Carbohydrates make tryptophan, an amino acid important for sleep, more available to the brain.

Chamomile Tea

Caffeine-free, herbal teas are a great alternative to your late night cup of coffee or cappuccino which contains lots of caffeine that will keep you up all night! Chamomile tea contains loads of antioxidants that reduce stress and inflammation. Adding some honey into your tea gives it the sweetness you crave, and is also very soothing for sore throats!