Very often you snack on unhealthy foods such as chips and chocolate late at night which adds to your waistline. If you eat sensibly and are ready with what to eat when you suddenly feel hungry at night, not only will you feel healthier and reduce weight with the correct diet but also begin sleeping better.
Here is a list of bedtime snacks for a good night’s sleep:
Bananas
Bananas have tryptophan and are a great source of magnesium. Both of them are important for the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. Nearly 90 per cent of the calories in this fruit come from carbohydrates, which can assist you to feel full and decrease cravings.
Almonds
Almonds are known to boost sleep quality as they assist in generating melatonin. Like bananas, they too are quite rich in magnesium which has the ability to decrease inflammation and levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Honey
A tablespoon of honey just before bedtime is said to ensure good quality sleep. Honey contains sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan that is converted into serotonin and later melatonin, in darkness.
Warm milk
A glass of warm milk has always been known to give one a good night’s sleep. Milk is a known source of tryptophan, which is an important amino acid not produced by the human body. Tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin, a neurotransmitter converted into melatonin. Both these improve sleep and induce relaxation.
Cherries
Cherries don’t just satisfy your post-dinner sweet cravings, but can assist you with a good night’s sleep, too. They are a good natural source of melatonin. An extra benefit is that they are full of antioxidants, which also assists in fighting inflammation.
Walnuts
Walnuts are high in fibres and help in promoting a feeling of fullness when you are faced with late-night cravings. They are an excellent source of ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid that gets converted to DHA in the body. DHA aid increases the production of serotonin, a sleep-enhancing chemical in the brain.
Oats
Just like white rice, oats are also rich in carbohydrates and high in fibre. They tend to induce drowsiness when consumed
before bed. Besides this, they are also a good source of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
(The author is holistic nutritionist & founder, Diet Podium)