Nutrition and sleep
The foods that make us sleep better

Food & Wine

Nutrition and sleep are closely linked: the quality of our sleep is influenced by what we eat.

There are foods that promote sleep and a good rest and others that hinder it, even disturbing our dreams.
But not only: to have a quality sleep, we must also pay attention to the types of cooking that we use for certain foods, preferring the lightest and healthiest methods and to the time when we consume the evening meal, which must not be excessively late or too close to the moment you go to bed.

What are the foods that make us sleep better?

The foods that promote sleep are those that stimulate the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone. In addition, a diet rich in vegetable fiber helps to lengthen the duration of the deep sleep phase.
The foods rich in magnesium are also fundamental, which helps to ease tensions and promotes relaxation, those that contain tryptophan, the amino acid necessary to produce serotonin, the hormone of well-being and good mood and those rich in vitamins of group B, essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system, which promote rest by contrasting anxiety and depression.

Here is a list of foods that are friends with our sleep and rest.

1. Apricots
Apricot is a fruit thought to be soothing, truly sleep-friendly. Thanks to the high content of magnesium - 10 mg / 100g - and potassium - 320mg / 100g, it is a valuable ally in case of insomnia, because it contributes to reducing anxiety and nervousness. Rich in water, it also helps maintain hydration and suffer less from the heat: a great help to sleep better.

2. Avena
Oats are a natural source of melatonin and are rich in calcium and magnesium, mineral salts that promote relaxation. It also performs a balancing action on the nervous system, managing to counteract the difficulty in sleeping.

3. Bananas
Bananas contain vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium and tryptophan: these substances promote muscle relaxation and stimulate the body to produce serotonin, the "happiness hormone", which promotes mental balance, improves mood and helps fight sleep disturbances.

4. Cherries
They are a natural source of magnesium - 10mg / 100g, a mineral that helps you rest better because it promotes muscle relaxation.

5. Kiwi
The consumption of kiwifruit reduces stress levels and reconciles sleep thanks to the high content of antioxidants and folate. Regular consumption of kiwifruit leads to less difficulty falling asleep and longer and deeper sleep.

6. Lettuce
Lettuce contains a substance, lactucarium, which has sedative and relaxing effects. It also helps maintain proper hydration, useful to protect yourself from excessive heat that can harm the quality of sleep.

7. Almonds
Almonds are a prodigious source of magnesium: they contain 264mg / 100g. They therefore promote muscle relaxation and, therefore, rest.

8. Nuts
Walnuts stimulate the production of melatonin, the hormone that the body produces to regulate the sleep-wake cycle, thus helping us sleep better. They are also an excellent source of magnesium.

9. Peaches
Peaches have a good content of niacin - vitamin B3, which helps keep the nervous system healthy. This molecule has sedative effects and, together with magnesium - peaches contain 9mg / 100g - make this fruit an excellent ally against insomnia.

10. Rice
Rice has a high glycemic index, which increases tryptophan levels in the body. This protein stimulates the activity of serotonin, one of the neurotransmitters responsible for the feeling of well-being. Rice basically helps you sleep better.

Nutrition and sleep
The foods that make us sleep better

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