Sleepy Time Foods

Springing forward time wise means a lot of good things. Spring is here. The days are longer with sunsets beginning at seven PM. Summer is just around the corner. However it also means being wide awake at eleven PM or midnight This screws up our Circadian rhythms and makes for a bad wake up call the next morning. What to do? Eat foods that will make you sleepy.A few bites and you’ll be craving your pillow and forty winks.

Just what foods will do the trick? One of the best is celestial Seasonings Sleepy Time Extra herbal tea.It has soothing chamomile along with spearmint  lemongrass and hawthorn. Valerian, a long used sedative for millenia is also thrown in for guaranteed drowsiness.There are the other Sleepy Time blends such as the original recipe along with ones that have echinacea  and ginger. Another snooze inducer is that classic warm milk. It has tryptophan in it, the same chemical that’s in turkey. You can add a tiny pinch of nutmeg along with the smallest drop of vanilla extract for more flavor. Milk can be heated in the microwave so you can make it there without the threat of it being scalded. Surprsingly tart cherry juice can also bring on sleepiness , thanks to the release of melantonin. The juice can be bought at GNC or online rather than at your local grocery store. Everyone thinks that a cup of hot cocoa will do the trick but that’s a wrong assumption. Chocolate has caffeine which will keep you up all night along with sugar which again can keep a person from getting a good night’s rest.

As for foods, yes you could have a nighttime snack of that leftover turkey. It may be a bit too heavy though so consider lighter options. Pretzels can do the same job. They’re full of carbs which can make you feel sleepy. Another snack option are bananas.They’re chock full of Vitamin B 6 which is essential in the melantonin synthesis .They’re also loaded with potassium which causes muscles to relax. Have one two to three hours before going to bed.Peanut butter is another snack guaranteed to cause zzzs thanks to the nuts being high in niacin, an essential key in creating serotonin.. What you eat at dinner can also affect the way you sleep. This is when the turkey can come in handy, especially paired with a salad. Lettuce , along with kale and spinach are loaded with calcium which aids the brain in using tryptophan. Even hummus can help you fall asleep. It starts off as L-tryptophan once it’s been processed by the body but then turns to 5HTP which releases relaxing serotonin. Serve it with mixed veggies or toasted pita wedges.Fish such as tuna, salmon and halibut share the same Vitamin B6 as bananas along with being very high in tryptophan too. Eat any of the three to ensure a sound night’s sleep.

Don’t let this new time ruin your sleep habits. Eat the right foods before going to bed to feel drowsy .Doing such will guarantee a good night’s rest and an easier wake up in the morning.