Are there foods that can help me get a good night’s sleep?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:Try these options:
- Tart cherry juice is rich in melatonin, the sleep hormone that regulates and resets your internal clock. Drink an 8 oz. glass in the morning and two hours before bed for sweet dreams. To get the full benefit, you'll have to drink it properly, taking like scheduled supplement.
- Cheese and 100% whole-grain crackers are your best bedtime-snack bet. The whole grains help produce serotonin. Cheese, like other dairy products, contains tryptophan. Together, they make for a winning combination.
Try these options: Tart cherry juice is rich in melatonin, the sleep hormone that regulates and resets your internal clock. Drink an 8 oz. glass in the morning and two hours before bed for sweet dreams. To get the full benefit, you'll have to... More -
RealAge answered:If it takes you more than 15 minutes to fall asleep at night, quicken your trip to dreamland by changing what you eat in the evening. It can make the difference between staring at the ceiling and sleeping like a baby.
For years, the top food on the snooze list was turkey, because it contains sleep-inducing tryptophan (credited with all those Thanksgiving naps). But researchers have done an about-face and nixed this connection. Why? Turkey, like most foods, just doesn't contain enough tryptophan to put you to sleep, explains Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of The Food & Mood Cookbook.
Instead, think light but high-carbohydrate snacks. Carbs boost levels of serotonin, the brain's sleep chemical, without overloading your digestive system. If you like, wash 'em down with something warm and soothing, such as a cup of herbal tea (chamomile, lemon balm, or valerian) or warm milk.
Nibble on one of these 10 high-carb calmers an hour before bedtime and you'll be yawning in no time:
- Half a whole-wheat English muffin or raisin bagel with a little peanut butter
- Two cups of air-popped popcorn
- A small slice of angel food cake topped with berries
- A frozen whole-wheat waffle, toasted, with drizzled with honey
- Half a cup of pretzels
- Fresh strawberries dunked in a little fat-free chocolate syrup
- Half a cup of pasta topped with marinara sauce
- A 4-ounce baked potato topped with salsa
- A handful of oyster crackers and a piece of fruit
- Canned mandarin oranges sprinkled with crystallized ginger
The benefits of sleep go well beyond good moods and lots of energy. Getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night can make your Real Age as much as 3 years younger.
If it takes you more than 15 minutes to fall asleep at night, quicken your trip to dreamland by changing what you eat in the evening. It can make the difference between staring at the ceiling and sleeping like a baby. For years, the top food on the... More
