Struggling to Sleep? These 7 Foods Are the Secret to Sweet Dreams!

Everything in this universe makes use of a system in order to function. Energy is being interchanged through the circle of life all around us. Even machines have a system they use to be efficient.

Similarly, the human body contains several systems that work specifically for certain purposes. However, that work is carried out using energy produced by the body.

The example of the human body is just like that of a machine, which demands that some requirements be fulfilled in order for it to perform efficiently. The first and foremost requirement of any machine is fuel, and in the case of the human body, that fuel is food.

Food is basically any nutritious substance that is essential for the human body. Our body needs to consume food for its sustainability and survival.

Components of Food

The body uses the food we consume in several ways, depending on its components. The basic components of food are carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, the exact basic elements our body is made up of, considering the dry mass and excluding water.

Food provides us with nutrition when our body metabolizes it with the aid of our digestive system. The blood takes up the nutritious compounds to transport them where they are required throughout the body.

Carbohydrates are broken down by the body to produce sugars. Proteins are the basic requirements for building muscle mass and growth because muscles are basically just a form of protein.

Lipids are required to fulfill energy demands as they serve as the energy reservoirs in our bodies.

Food helps us grow, be active, and be healthy. It also strengthens our immunity so that our bodies can fight various diseases.

Why do we need to sleep?

Sleep is the state of the body at rest. When there is no physical activity, the nervous system becomes inactive, the circulatory system becomes slow, postural muscles relax, eyes close, and consciousness is suspended; we can say that an individual is asleep.

Sleep is a basic requirement of the human body. It is the state in which the body can relax and prepare itself for efficient work when it wakes up or becomes active again.

According to physicians and nutritionists, a normal human body requires 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night in order to remain healthy.

Sleep is essential for body performance and for the brain to relax for some time after prolonged activity.

Lack of Sleep

Sleep restores our body, but unfortunately, more than 10% of our population is sleep-deprived due to certain reasons that are either medically or mentally related to our bodies.

The human body has an internal biological clock, which some hormones assist. The clock is set for sleep-wake cycles as people grow up and acquire different habits.

It is naturally set to get sleep at night since we are born, but it gets changed or disturbed depending upon which type of habits we develop.

Lack of sleep can occur due to mental stress, anxiety, depression, and even due to unhealthy eating habits in which the metabolic system of the body gets disturbed.

Medically, sleeplessness is known as insomnia, in which a person can’t sleep even though the body isn’t participating in any active physical activity.

The Food-Sleep Connection

Though many people might take it for granted, getting a good night’s sleep is something many wish for. There are medications available to help people fall asleep.

However, they come with a set of side effects. That is why it is recommended that you fall asleep through natural means.

Some types of food contain nutritious substances that keep you active and help you get a good amount of sleep when required.

When you are sleep-deprived, your metabolism doesn’t work efficiently, leading to some severe digestive disorders. It also affects your mood and can lower your immune system’s efficiency.

Here is a list of foods that can help you get eye-shut without sleeping pills.

Walnut

Walnuts are a natural source of the body clock hormones serotonin and melatonin, made by tryptophan, an amino acid also a sleep enhancer.

Adding walnuts to your diet will provide energy through their lipid content and help you sleep better.

Almonds

Almonds have hundreds of benefits. They are a natural remedy for sleep, a memory enhancer, and a very nutritious dry fruit.

Studies have found that low levels of minerals like magnesium make it harder for people to fall asleep.

Almonds are rich in magnesium, which can fulfill the body’s magnesium demand to fight sleeplessness.

Lettuce

Many people enjoy lush green lettuce as a component of their salad for a healthy and fat-free diet, and it is also a great sleep inducer.

The main component of lettuce is lactucarium, which has a similar effect on the body to a sedative drug. It calms the brain down and helps you get better sleep.

You can have a lettuce salad at dinner or boil its leaves in water to drink before going to sleep.

Milk

Since childhood, we have been advised to drink a glass of warm milk before going to bed. This is because warm milk can help us sleep better.

It helps raise the body temperature, provides you with calcium, and makes you enjoy a better sleep.

Rice

Rice is rich in carbohydrates, increasing the body’s glycemic index, which means it affects blood glucose levels. When eaten for dinner, it also doesn’t disturb the digestive system and aids in a better sleeping experience.

Fish

Fish is the healthiest protein diet among seafood and other meat types. Some fish types have high levels of tryptophan and vitamin B6, which help the body produce melatonin and serotonin to enjoy a sound sleep.

Cereals

Eating a bowl of cereal can save you an extra hour in bed waiting for sleep. Cereal with milk is a very good combination for providing carbohydrates and calcium to the body, which helps to minimize the work your metabolic system will have to do and allows you to sleep.