Need another reason to eat well? What you eat can affect your sleep! Studies have shown that eating
the right foods can also help us rest well. All of us with kids realize getting plenty of rest is key to being happy and thinking clearly, but sometimes it can be tough to get there.
The most recommended foods to eat for a good night’s sleep are cherries, bananas, fish, beans, oatmeal (not the sugary kind), avocados, greens, etc. Foods high in B6 are recommended because they aid the body in producing melatonin. Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness. Calcium, magnesium and potassium are also sleep boosters! Foods high in potassium and magnesium like bananas and beans respectively, may help because they are natural muscle relaxants. Calcium and magnesium are best when taken together!
Laura A. Bushey, M.A., founder of Kitchen of Life, suggests eliminating some common foods from
your diet such as alcohol, aspartame, caffeine, and sugar to ensure a well-rested night. Bushey also
recommends not eating three hours prior to bed-time, because your body should be detoxifying during sleep and digesting can disrupt your REM sleep. REM sleep is the phase of sleep in which we vividly recall our dreams, and don’t we all wish to remember our dreams? She goes on to say “I don’t offer magic bullets but help people realize what they are doing promotes ills.” This is a strong point to make and definitely makes sense. Hippocrates said it best, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Even when you are fueling up with the right foods, you may still have trouble sleeping due to stress,
anxiety, or KIDS! That’s where regular exercise can help. Exercise has been proven to improve sleep, reduce anxiety and if done regularly (30 minutes of sweating a day) your brain releases chemicals such as endorphins, serotonin, adrenaline, and dopamine. All these chemicals make us feel good. It’s our body’s natural “drug”. So, eat well, burn some of that food or “fuel” up by exercising, and then later turn the lights down low and enjoy a sweet treat of apples and almond butter or oatmeal with a cup of chamomile tea to relax. Sleep Well!
For sources or more information please contact Kim Usry at kbusry@gmail.com
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