Sleep inducing foods
Everyone’s sleeping requirements are different, so I doubt there is any “absolute” list of foods that induce sleep out there that would work for everyone; I am going to share though, what has worked for me. But let’s start first with the common one’s usually bandied about, not that they necessarily work for all:
- Bananas
- Milk (warm)
- Turkey
- Chamomile tea
- Potatoes
- Almonds
- Rye bread
- Whole wheat
- Honey
I do not know why bananas are on the list, because eating a lot of bananas is only going to make you fart a lot. Eating bananas has never made me sleepy. Not that I noticed. I can understand why milk is there, because milk works for me too. But turkey?
Cmon, it takes a while for the food to get digested first in the system, and turkey being meat; it is going to take a while to get broken down into the amino acid tryptophan (the precursor of serotonin) by the digestive system. I wouldn’t expect to eat turkey and start feeling sleepy a short while later. Besides, all other meats, dairy, and poultry contain a lot of tryptophan as well. It isn’t exclusive to turkey. Actually, the drowsiness attributed to post-Thanksgiving meals is likely to be due to the other carbohydrate-rich dishes, and not because of the turkey.
Also, eating before sleeping raises the metabolic rate, and diverts energy towards the digestion of the food. This can actually hamper sleep. That is why most guides always recommend NOT eating before sleeping. But I believe it won’t hurt to have a larger mix of foods that induce sleep at dinnertime; but not just before bed.
However, hunger can also hinder sleep. So, if you must eat something, then take milk and oatmeal together. Milk combined with oats has generally worked for me. It isn’t a fixed thing, because sometimes, they don’t work. But if you want to give it a go, instant oatmeal with a generous helping of milk powder mixed in with water, can work; especially if hunger is making it hard for you to fall asleep. This combination works best on an empty stomach, so I can recommend having this as some sort of porridge supper.
It’s important to remember not to overburden your body with extra work at night, since night time is when it is supposed to rest. Having a large meal right before bedtime can result in poor-quality sleep, or else hinder you from falling asleep.
