Best, worst food to eat at bedtime

There are certain types of food and beverages you take for dinner that can affect your sleep. A heavy meal right before sleep will disturb your digestive system and consequently your sleep.

Foods to eat for a good night’s sleep:

Milk: Ever wondered why while growing up our parents used to give us a glass of warm milk before we slept? I hope we do that for our children as well. Warm milk has the ability to send you off to dream land. This is why; milk has a substance called Tryptopan that induces sleep.

Carbs: If you want a late night snack to complement the dairy foods take a bit of carbohydrate rich food or snack. Carbs help increase the level of tryptopan in the blood. However, since you need to watch out on your total calorie intake, choose a low calories snack to take with your milk such as crackers with yogurt, bread and cheese, or a bowl of cereal with milk.

Foods to avoid.

Caffeine: This is one of the best culprits in disrupting your sleep. This is because coffee is high in caffeine. Therefore, if you desire better sleep, cut all caffeine from your diet four to six hours before bedtime. You also need to watch out for other hidden sources of caffeine like chocolate, tea, and cola drinks.

Medication: Pain  medication, weight loss pills, cold or cough medicines. Keep to the doctors prescription and timing.

Alcohol: Even though alcohol seem to make you sleep a lot faster  what you did not know is that you experience less restful sleep, and  frequent awakenings. To dilute the alcohol effect, balance each drink with a glass of water. Avoid alcohol four to six hours before bedtime.

Fluids: Taking too much fluids before bed will cause you to make several trips to the bathroom. Stay well hydrated during the day and reduce fluid intake in the evening.

High fat, high proten and spicy food: A diet that is high in protein and fat becomes harder to digest since your digestive system slows down.  A heavily spicy meal may cause heartburn, especially if you lie down immediately after eating.

Smoking; Cigarettes have the same effect as you will get from caffeine.