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VL
Posted by

Victoria Lagodinsky

February 7, 2014

5 snacks to help you sleep

 

Surprisingly what we eat can have a real effect on the quality of our sleep. So if you’ve been having trouble sleeping here are five snacks to try before bedtime:

 

1. Oatcakes with tuna or a slice of chicken/turkey

2. Oatcakes with tahini, hummus, nut butter or cottage cheese

3. A small pot of natural yogurt with sunflower seeds and a banana

4. Banana protein shake (with milk or soya milk)

5. A handful of sunflower seeds or almonds

 

Here’s the science bit: the amino acid tryptophan is converted to 5-hydroxytryptophan. This is then to converted to serotonin, which boosts your mood. Seratonin is also the raw material for melatonin – the hormone to help you sleep. So eating foods rich in tryptophan – such as bananas, chicken, figs, milk, oats, sunflower seeds, tuna, eggs, nuts, turkey and yogurt – can all help to bring on that sleepy feeling.

Lift your mood with power foods
If you’re looking for more nutritional science, Lift Your Mood With Power Foods will guide you through the best foods to eat for optimum health and vitality – and a great night’s sleep!