In the fitness industry, there are a lot of people that are in the boat of not eating right before bed. Eating right before bed can lead to your body not using the food optimally and just storing it instead. There are also people in the boat that you need to feed your muscles while you sleep so that your body doesn’t feed on them which can lead to your gains going to waist. Now, what if we told you that there are actually certain foods that could help you sleep better! Because regardless if you are in the boat of eating before bed or in the boat of not eating before bed, if you aren’t sleeping very well at night then it may not even matter if you eat before or not because your body is suffering from lack of sleep in the first place.
Here are 5 foods that help you fall asleep quicker at night:
Walnuts
Walnuts contain melatonin. Melatonin is naturally occurring in the body and the hormone that makes the body feel sleepy. It is suggested to try and snack on walnuts an hour or two before bed to encourage the body to feel sleepy. Sunflower seeds are also a great choice that has a good level of melatonin in them as well.
Salmon
Salmons, as well as other fish, have good levels of Omega-3s. Getting a good amount of Omega-3s in your diet seems to favor with your body producing melatonin for a deeper sleep.
White Rice
Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that eating 2 1/2 cups of white rice four hours before bed could help you fall asleep faster. Now that is a lot of rice. We certainly wouldn’t recommend eating that much, but it could be worth trying to eat some before bed to see if it is helpful for your body when it comes to sleeping better. Also, white rice is not as favored as brown rice, but it won’t hurt you to have some white rice here and there. Just use white rice when you aren’t sleeping very well and then switch back to brown when your sleeping issues resolve themselves.
Cashews
Cashews have a high level of magnesium, one mineral that most people don’t get enough of. Magnesium deficiency is linked to sleep disorders. Not enough magnesium can lead to poor nights of sleep plus throw in some muscle spasm to really keep you awake and you’ll be reaching for more cashews to add to your diet in no time.
Sweet Potato
Sweet Potato offers your body good levels of potassium. Like magnesium, potassium promotes proper muscle contraction to help keep those leg cramps at bay. Sweet potatoes also offer an excellent amount of carbs that your brain uses to make sleep-inducing serotonin.
