Healthy Food/Snacks To Eat Before Bed

A pack of chips or ready to eat fries might appeal you as a perfect meal savior especially during the dark hours, but remember late night snacking has to be more careful. Your body’s metabolism is diminishing and you don’t want to burden your system with any wrong food choices. However the good news is we have many foods to eat before bed and they will not harm or overload your system. In fact, the right type of food taken in right quantity can also benefit your sleep.

LOOK FOR TRYPTOPHAN

Tryptophan are chain of amino acids that helps soothe your senses and initiate sleep due to the presence of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that arouses feeling of calmness and relaxation and thus promotes sleep. Foods rich in tryptophan are best options for treating insomnia.
Food/Snack Options:

• Soy Beans
• Turkey
• Chia Seeds
• Nuts
• Cottage Cheese
• Oats

LOW CARB PROTEINS

A smaller quantity of low fat or lean protein diet will do your body no harm .In fact it will keep your hunger satisfied for longer hours. Proteins help building up muscles and strength. Stick to low fat protein sources and make sure not to overeat to prevent your liver from doing some hard work in digesting.
Food/Snack Options:

• White Meat
• Egg Whites
• Lentils
• Protein Shake
• Fat Free Dairy Products

SOURCE OF MAGNESIUM & FIBER

Eating foods that have significant magnesium content can help boost your sleep. It will have good results in terms of quality and quantity of sleep you get. Magnesium deficiency not only deprives your body of sound sleep but also enhances the probability of muscle cramps. Fiber density in a food/snack makes it more nutritious and takes longer time in breaking down, hence keeping you full for a longer duration.
Food/Snack Options:

• Avocado
• Dark green leafy veggies
• Almonds
• Whole Grains

MELATONIN BOOSTERS

The sleep booster hormone is a great option to be consumed for dinner or late night snacking. Melatonin promotes the feeling of sleep and what more your body needs for a fresher start, the next day. It is also known to regulate the sleeping cycle. Cherries are abundant and natural source of melatonin. Thus it is often consumed by chronic insomniacs in different forms.
Food/Snack Options:

• Cherry
• Banana
• Sweet corn
• Barley Grains
• Mustard Seeds

MUSCLE RELAXANT POTASSIUM

Potassium is said to have a relaxing effect on our muscles. Moreover it also maintains the blood flow in arteries and curbs the chances of heart diseases. Potassium deficiency is termed as hypokalemia which is responsible for the anxiety. Thus look for foods that are rich source of this chemical to soothe your body and indulge in stress free night.
Food/Snack Options:

• Bananas
• Sweet Potatoes
• Prunes
• Apricots
• Raisins

CHOOSE COMPLEX CARBS OVER REFINED CARBS

Feast yourself with complex carb snacks which take more time to get broken down and thus provide gradual glucose supply to the bloodstream. This prevents lets you enjoy sleep without frequent and untimely snacking. Unlike refined carbs, complex carbs offer more nutritional value and are better snacking options for diabetics.
Food/Snack Options:

• Whole Grains
• Green Vegetables
• Whole grains pasta and Bread
• Peas and Beans

NUTS

Grab a handful of unsalted nuts that are rich in vitamins and minerals that encourage better sleep cycle. Nuts in raw form are healthy sources of unsaturated fats but be cautious about the quantity as it is hard to give up on these tasty kernels.
Food/Snack Options:

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Peanuts
• Cashew Nuts
• Brazil Nuts

Be your own boss while experimenting with these healthy foods/snacks to satisfy your taste buds. For example Banana Smoothie, Whole grain bread with peanut butter, White skinless meat, Greek Yogurt with cherries or kiwis etc. can be really delicious and nutritious at the same time.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, refined carbs and processed foods that will add useless calories and also deprive you of sound sleep. Even the healthy snacks should be eaten in less quantity and at least half an hour before you go to bed.