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Sleep is an important aspect of our life that naturally occurs at a particular time and is controlled by a circadian rhythm, our body’s internal sleep-wake clock. Though sleeping is a natural act, our body fails to get adequate sleep due to multiple health issues, filthy surroundings, bad sleeping habits, and many others. Therefore, we require outer help to make us fall asleep on time and complete that required amount of sleep our body deserves.
The external things that help us improve our sleep quality are mattress, exercise, food, etc.
Mattresses
Mattresses are one of the important things required to improve sleep quality with their comfy and supportive texture that is necessary to keep the natural spinal alignment and body posture correct. Also, it is important to select the best mattress suitable for your body as many types are available in the market. For example, a soft mattress for a side sleeper, a firm mattress for a back sleeper, or an orthopedic mattress for back pain.
Exercise
Another thing that helps you get a good sleep is exercise as it helps you burn fat and thus helps you relieve strain from your body which further helps you relax and sleep peacefully without any disturbances from body aches. One can do many exercises per time and space availability and body requirements. For example, Yoga, walking, running, stretching, breathing exercises, or any other they deem fit.
Food
Most of us try to follow a strict food diet for good health, but not many of us are aware that our food provides us with nutrients that can also help us improve our sleep quality. Thus, it is important to know that certain foods trigger a sleep-inducing hormonal response and work to calm the nervous system.
But before we go ahead with the food list, we must know that nutrients play a significant role in improving our sleep and making us fall asleep as soon as we hit the mattress, along with many other chemicals, amino acids, enzymes, and hormones. These include, tryptophan, melatonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), calcium, potassium, magnesium, pyridoxine, L-ornithine, serotonin, histamine, acetylcholine, folate, antioxidants, vitamin D, B vitamins, zinc, and Copper.
Though almost every food contains more or less of the above-mentioned sleep-improving nutrients, only some of them have high proportions that can affect our sleep cycle.
Here are ideal foods and beverages for sleep that are easily available in the market after considering both traditional information, scientific study, and nutritional qualities:
1. Rice
Rice is a common food ingredient across the globe, whether it’s a bowl of white rice or brown rice. As well as, people claim to feel drowsy and wish to lay on a Luxury mattress for a quick nap after eating rice.
White rice has a high glycaemic index, which naturally increases blood sugar and insulin levels, apparently making tryptophan work faster in your brain, increasing melatonin and serotonin, which are the calming hormones that cause drowsiness.
At the same time, brown rice has high levels of magnesium and vitamins B3 and B6, which are sleep-promoting nutrients.
2. Dairy products
Since ancient times, many people have been sipping warm milk before going to bed. Dairy products, particularly milk, include tryptophan, calcium, vitamin D, and melatonin, all of which help us go asleep and sleep well.
Milk by-products, such as yogurt, are high in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), calcium, which produces melatonin, and tryptophan, a hormone that induces sleep.
Cottage cheese is high in tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes serotonin production. It also contains casein, a slow-releasing protein that allows you to sleep deeply without being awakened by hunger.
3. Vegetables
Just like milk and rice, vegetables are an integral part of our diet, whether it’s a healthy or unhealthy one.
Green veggies such as kale are rich in calcium, while Spinach is high in tryptophan, magnesium, and vitamin B6, all of which help create serotonin. At the same time, lettuce contains n-butanol, which increases sleep duration while reducing sleep latency or time to fall asleep after laying on the mattress.
Other than that, veggies like tomatoes which are rich in the production of antioxidant ‘lycopene,’ help you improve your sleep quality. At the same time, Broccoli has been proven to increase REM, i.e., Rapid Eye Movement.
A Vegetables, like milk and rice, are an essential element of every diet, healthy or ill.
Green vegetables like kale are high in calcium, while Spinach is high in tryptophan, magnesium, and vitamin B6, all of which contribute to serotonin production. At the same time, lettuce includes n-butanol, which promotes sleep duration while decreasing sleep latency, or the time it takes to fall asleep after lying on the mattress.
Aside from that, vegetables like tomatoes, which are high in the antioxidant ‘lycopene,’ can help you enhance your sleep quality. At the same time, Broccoli has been shown to boost REM or Rapid Eye Movement.
4. Fruits
Fruits are essential components of any healthy eating regimen. However, many people are unaware that certain fruits have significant levels of nutrients that might help you enhance your sleep quality. Fruits rich in potassium include figs and bananas. At the same time, kiwi and cherry have greater melatonin concentrations, and other nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, tryptophan, anthocyanins, flavonoids, carotenoids, and iron play an important part in allowing you to sleep peacefully throughout the night.
5. Fish
Fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, and mackerel are high in omega-3 fatty acids, notably eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) aid in the reduction of depression, anxiety, inflammation, and a variety of other disorders that impair sleep.
Fatty fish also have a high concentration of vitamin D, which aids in the control of the circadian cycle.
The potent blend of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D in fatty fish has a substantial possibility to enhance sleep quality as both have been proved to stimulate serotonin synthesis.
Apart from Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, fishes like wild salmon from the Atlantic Ocean are said to be high in nutrients like Potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin B-12, folate, and calcium.
6. Poultry
Poultry products are another prevalent ingredient in our everyday diet. It is also considered sleep-inducing due to its strong sleep-inducing nutritional content.
Turkey eating causes drowsiness and sleepiness owing to a high concentration of proteins, an amino acid-like tryptophan, vitamins and minerals like riboflavin and phosphorus, and selenium, all of which are sleep-producing substances.
Eggs and chicken are also high in tryptophan, an amino acid that aids sleep.
7. Nuts
Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews are commonly regarded as excellent sleep foods. Though the exact amounts fluctuate, nuts contain melatonin and essential minerals like magnesium and zinc, which are necessary for various biological processes, including getting elderly adults insomnia better than supplements.
While almonds provide both melatonin and magnesium, pistachios have the highest melatonin concentration, while walnuts have the highest tryptophan amount.
