GOOD SNOOZE FOODS
Dairy products: cottage cheese, cheese, milk
Soy products: soy milk, tofu, soybean nuts
Seafood
Meats
Poultry
Whole grains
Beans
Rice
Hummus
Lentils
Hazelnuts, Peanuts
Eggs
Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
GOOD BEDTIME SNACKS
Foods which are high in carbohydrates, calcium and low in protein make the best bedtime snacks and can bring on sleep. However, it takes approximately an hour for the effects to reach the brain so make sure you donÂ’t leave it right until the last minute to eat.
Apple pie and ice cream
Whole-grain cereal with milk
Hazelnuts and tofu
Oatmeal and raisin cookies, and a glass of milk
Peanut butter sandwich, ground sesame seeds
BEST DINNERS FOR SLEEP
Meals which are high in carbohydrates and low in protein will help relax and set you up for a good night's sleep.
Pasta with parmesan cheese
Scrambled eggs and cheese
Tofu stir-fry
Hummus with whole wheat pita bread
Seafood, pasta, and cottage cheese
Meats and poultry with veggies
Tuna salad sandwich
Chili with beans, not spicy
Sesame seeds sprinkled on salad with tuna chunks & whole wheat crackers
FACTS
Lighter meals help to give a good night sleep.
Meals which are high in fat, along with large servings can delay the digestive system from processing all foods. This can cause gas and keep you awake.
Seasoned foods such as, hot peppers and garlic, can interfere with sleep, especially if you suffer from heartburn.
Going to bed with a full stomach does not aid in a restful night's sleep. While you may fall asleep faster, all the intestinal work required to digest a big meal is likely to cause frequent waking and a poorer quality of sleep. Eat your evening meal early.
A saying which my Mum, to this very day, quotes is one of the golden rules for night time and that isÂ… "Don't dine after nine.".
FOODS THAT KEEP YOU AWAKE
Any food which contains caffeine is above all others on the top the list of foods that wake you up. The reasons for this are:
Caffeine is a stimulant which speeds up the nervous system as well as other major body systems. It takes fifteen minutes from drinking a cup of coffee to raise the level of adrenaline in your blood. This triggers an increase in your heart, breathing, urinary output and stomach acids
Caffeine also releases sugar from the liver via messages from adrenal hormones this stimulates sugar cravings so as to replenish the bodyÂ’s natural storage.
Caffeine produces a roller coaster effect as blood sugar becomes unstable, producing quick high and lows.
The effects caffeine has in the body are much like that of gravity: what goes up must come down.
http://www.minti.com/parenting-advice/3627/Food-which-help-you-sleep/
