Healthy Food Choices To Help You Get To Sleep!

I wanted to let all my great commenter's know that I am so sorry that I have been a bit behind in visiting and commenting on all my favorite blogs. To all the great visitors of my blog I want to apologize for recycling some of my old posts (hey, I was new then and nobody read them so I need to share them anyway) this week. I will be getting some fun, fresh new posts out and catch up with my favorite blogs soon. I am interviewing and trying to decide on a part time job so I have been behind in blog world (I cannot believe I am not a millionaire yet from blogging-okay I'm a financial blog failure but I love to blog and that is why I do it). Thanks for your patience and please enjoy another of my favorite posts.

Yawn, toss, turn, toss some more
-sound familiar? Ever have trouble getting to sleep? Me too, so I decided to see what foods we can incorporate into our diet to be healthy and sleepy. Most of us know not to drink caffeinee before we go to bed and we know that we might not want to have a lot of sugar either- but what about foods and beverages that might actually help us rest and sleep better?

Since sleep has always been one of those elusive things to me, I started wondering if maybe I could find a diet that would help me sleep better. I did a little research and tried a few of the suggested foods and well, I'm sleepy now so maybe they are helping. I did actually take a short nap yesterday which is unheard of for me. I have never been able to sleep during the day and never could understand how anyone could but today I actually did and it was so nice (some strange dreams though). Once again being the health nut wannabe that I am- I am amazed at how almost everything that I need I can find in changing my diet and so, here are some great suggestions if you are looking to have better quality shut eye.

Apparently foods containing tryptophan-an amino acid that your body cannot make( you must obtain it from the foods that you eat) is used to make a hormone called serotonin.
Serotonin acts within your body to promote feelings of sleepiness, calm, and relaxation. We need adequate levels of Serotonin in our brain in order to fall asleep and rest throughout the night. The key to getting enough tryptophan to your brain to sleep well at night is to combine a tryptophan-rich food with a carbohydrate-rich food. This is because ingesting a carbohydrate-rich food causes your body to release insulin, which diverts many of your other amino acids away from your brain, leaving tryptophan with little competition to cross your blood-brain barrier to gain access to your brain (okay, that is the technical part that I am still processing in my brain).

Healthy Foods To Help You Have A Great Nights Sleep

*Bananas *Flax seeds
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*Potatoes *Whole-Wheat Bread

*Honey *Lentils

*Turkey *Beans

*Hazelnuts *Hummus

*Peanuts *Eggs

*Chickpeas *Seafood

*Oatmeal *Rice

*Almonds *Tofu

*Low-fat dairy *Soy Products
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*Chamomile Tea

Foods that are high in carbohydrates and calcium, and medium-to-low in protein also make ideal sleep-inducing bedtime snacks. Meals that are high in carbohydrates and low-to-medium in protein will help you relax in the evening and set you up for a good night's sleep. More here.

Some suggested healthy meals and snacks to help you get a good nights sleep are-
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*Rice, black beans, and guacamole

*chili with beans, not spicy

*Whole grain crackers with peanut butter-honey would be great on this too!

*tofu stir fry

*Bagel with peanut butter

*Oatmeal or raisin cookies (okay maybe this one and the next aren't the healthiest but they do taste good)

*Ice-cream (organic preferably)

*Glass of warm milk (organic preferably)

*Tuna Fish sandwich on whole wheat bread

If you are like me you will look at this list and say mmmmmmmm I can have cookies and ice-cream and fall into a deep wonderful sleep- but as always-moderation is the key and so is good sense (I think I lost mine). Thanks for reading and here's to a healthy, happy nights sleep!

35 comments:

  1. Another thing that will help you sleep better at night - love!

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  2. Another great post!..really enjoyed reading your blog..looking to read more from you..thanks for the helpful infos about health!..

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  3. Thanks for explaining the tryptophan, serotonin and carbohydrate relationship. No wonder I can't sleep! I'm eating all wrong! Seriously, I'm an insomniac, late to bed , early to rise. I'll give some of these food combinations a try and maybe, just maybe I'll get some shut eye!

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  4. Good list Heidi. I love wholemeal crackers with a little cheese. My favourite are this brand called Krackawheat by McVities. Only problem is that everytime I buy a pack it does not last long ;-)

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  5. Blessed be.

    Good morning Heidi. I know this is a little 'off-topic', but I just nominated your blog for an award.

    Please visit my page and click on the link titled 'misclleaneous' at the top right side of my page and read the post titled 'Thank you, Murcielago'.

    Have a great weekend.

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  6. Helpful list! Now that I know the food choices to help me sleep, I'll have to figure out how to get the cats to not wake me up in the middle of the night. I don't think there's any food for that!

    Good luck on your job hunt! I'm glad you love to blog because I sure love reading it!

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  7. sleeping early is really hard for me even if I'm in bed still i cant sleep, maybe this good post can help me, I'm beginning to be a fan of yours keep up the good post

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  8. Great post! Thank you! I've never had trouble sleeping until recently so have been looking for foods that might help. Here comes your wonderful list. Very helpful.

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  9. Even though this is one of your recyled post, it's still very informative and still have very good suggestions on how to get a good shut eye through good nutrition. This is a very well-written post and had enjoyed reading it.

    Oh, how did the interview go? Hope it went well.
    Tasha

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  10. I meant to comment about how much I love your cat's picture lying on his/her back. So cute and funny.

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  11. Your posts are always helpful, insightful, and on point recycled or not! Thanks for sharing!
    Blessings!

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  12. This is very informative (as usual). :-) Hubby has a hard time getting to sleep these days due to work related stress. I'm going to purchase some of these foods on my next trip to the grocery store & see if it helps.

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  13. Lol I hear you Heidi I love to blog too but sometimes life gets in the way. Stupid money. haha. Nice post on trytophan. It didn't put me to sleep though.

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  14. Heidi!!!! I don't know how many times of late that I have meant to come back and comment on your blog and each time you have done another post. The other day I was going to add a little note about turmuric as you had mentioned curcurmin. I thought, especially as I knew you are so knowledgeable that I should firstly check my facts first ... anyway your blog has moved on and I feel that I have missed my opportunity. So I am going to start a new trend and put the comment as a post on my blog and link it to yours ...

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  15. Blessings.

    This was a very good list. I keep chamomlie tea in my pantry at all times, along with various other herbal teas.

    I so enjoy reading your blog.

    Have a great week.

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  16. I am lovin' the cat! They never have any problems sleeping, do they? ;)

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  17. So grandma was right. A warm glass of milk will help you fall asleep. Interesting. I enjoy having a bowl of cereal sometimes before bed, but I don't think that counts:)

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  18. once again, this is a very informative post. and you're right, this is another great reason why we should go organic ;)

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  19. Thanks for sharing Heidi, need to apologize for being extra busy, happens to all of us!
    I started having problems going to sleep and sleeping through the night about 10 years ago...I know what I eat/drink affects this so I've completely eliminated caffeine from my diet(with the exception of a "little" chocolate now and then!)which helps immensely...but I also know that foods like pizza, or spaghetti anything spicy will also keep me awake...

    Unfortunately I can't eat wholewheat or dairy so I do what I can...lactose free milk works for me...

    Cheers

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  20. Thanks for listing out the food that helps us sleep, although I never have any problems sleeping. I can sleep anytime and anywhere! : )
    Oh, btw, if anyone has difficulty sleeping, besides taking the food suggested here, do read my 20 tips at http://foongpc.blogspot.com/2008/06/true-account-by-insomniac.html

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  21. I have two awards for you. Please come get it :)

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  22. no wonder i've been sleeping so well lately. love the meal and snack ideas. they're all a regular part of my diet. thanks for the technical reasons on why they work so well...

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  23. I am definitely going to put this into my agenda. Most of the foods I eat anyway so it will not be difficult.

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  24. Hi Heidi- Tried the milk last night and it worked. Thanks. I stumbled this post. Fantastic ideas.

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  25. Luckily for me, this problem is oh so rare!

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  26. honestly, i am having troubles to stay awake. Sleeping was never a problem to me. It only happened once when I hard difficulty of sleeping. And that was when I had a breakup and i was caught off guard. My mind was so bad.. but that was during the day when i wanted to sleep to cool off my head. When the night came, I slept like a tranquilized person again.

    This is very helpful to those who have probslems sleeping. Just reading in case people i know have the same worries.

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  27. "Healthy Foods To Help You Have A Great Nights Sleep"... Yes I really agree with you. Me too got this advice from my friend and I had followed her tips, Now I feel better health than earlier. So, You are correct....!!!

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  28. Hello

    I really enjoyed reading your blog. I have scoliosis and I enjoy reading about scoliosis on blogs and other websites.. I am very pleased with the SpineCor brace that I started wearing since Nov 2004. I have hardly any back pain and there has been some improvement in my curve. It took a while but I got used to it and I appreciate the support it gives my back. A couple of people have told me that I look straighter now. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to use the SpineCor brace. If you want more information on it go to http://www.losangelesscoliosis.com . Anyways I look forward to all the updates. Thanks again.
    Jessica

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  29. you've done it, made me hungry again! thanks for the post I will try some of those foods next time i am hungry

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  30. Lots of great tips here, thanks for that! I've been tossing and turning a lot lately, but it's mostly due to allergies... ahhh!!!

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  31. i have trubble with that too*

    Benadryl works for me - same stuff as in Tylenol Night stuff*

    but a Nice TunaFish + Lettuce sandwich sounds much more Healthy*

    ;)) Peace*

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  32. yup, really familiar... not me though but my husband. lately, he has been having trouble sleeping. to get him to sleep, i make him drink a warm glass of fresh milk. it really works!

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  33. I think you are on to something Heidi with this great blog. Keep up the great work inspiring so many people everyday to be healthier. About that part time job, I think with a few tweeks on your blog you can eliminate the need to do that and continue doing what you love and get paid for it.
    I am new and am still learning about making money blogging. I would like to recommend a source I am learning from to you if I may. Visit http://www.becomeablogger.com for tips on making income from blogging.
    Walter
    "The 50 year old young guy"
    http://www.livelongerandfeelyounger.com

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  34. Excellent tips, you've got a great blog, keep it up.

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  35. There are many factors that affect our sleep. Some of them are: caffeine, alcohol, bedtime snacks and more. We also consider the noise, temperature, lighting and the surroundings to be able to rest and sleep effectively. You might also want to look after your diet, and the food that you eat.

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