10 Foods that Help you Sleep

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A good night's sleep is essential for physical and emotional health. A lack of sleep can contribute to obesity, worsen depression and anxiety, decrease mental capacity and create unpleasant mood swings.

I am not in favor of using tranquilizers to get to sleep. They are expensive, habit forming and have some alarming side-effects. There are natural ways to get to sleep that are both effective and inexpensive. One good solution is to eat one or more foods that relax the body and mind and allow you to drift off into a natural slumber.

Here are ten common foods that you can try for yourself.

Warm milk: Grandma was right, it really does help you sleep! The warmth is comforting, the calcium calms your nerves, and the tryptophan it contains helps the brain manufacture the neurotransmitters needed for a deep and restorative sleep.

Cherries: They contain melatonin, which is necessary for regulating a natural sleep cycle.

Bananas: They contain both tryptophan and potassium, which is thought to be responsible for slow, deep-wave sleep.

Pecans: Loaded with B vitamins, pecans help soothe frazzled nerves, which may be keeping you awake. They also contain pyroxidine which is responsible for the production of serotonin and melatonin in the brain.

Whole grain foods: Brown rice, quinoa and oats make you feel calm and help you feel full. No more getting up for fattening midnight refrigerator runs!

Celery, black eyed peas and lentils also have a calming effect on the body. Mangoes and dates are also sedating and can satisfy your sweet tooth, without adding lots of calories.



Irene Helen Zundel is a freelance writer, educator and mother, and an expert in child development, home schooling and creative parenting and home making. Visit her online at http://www.irenehelenzundel.com

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