If you’re tired throughout the day but simply can’t get a good night’s sleep, it could be that your biological clock may be out of sync. Luckily, resetting your biological clock may be as easy as changing what you eat before you go to bed.
Research shows that eating something that’s rich in carbohydrates may be helpful when it comes to resetting your circadian clock. Researchers discovered that insulin affects your PER2 gene, which regulates sleep. As a result, it’s thought that foods that promote the secretion of insulin may help reset the circadian clock in humans. With carbohydrates increasing the secretion of insulin in the human body, it’s possible that they can help regulate your PER2 cycle so that you’re sleepy at bedtime.
While carbohydrate-rich foods may be helpful when it comes to falling asleep at night, they’re not the only snacks that can promote improved sleep. From carbohydrate-laden foods to fruit, nuts and more, you’ll find tasty bedtime snacks that can help you sleep better below.
Cherries
Cherries contain about 24 grams of carbohydrates per cup. They’re also a natural source of melatonin, which is a hormone that influences your circadian cycle. You don’t have to worry too much about cherries adding to your waistline because they only have about 100 calories per cup.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes may not automatically spring to mind when you think about bedtime snacks, but they should. Sweet potatoes have potassium, magnesium, and calcium which can have a relaxing effect on your body.
Almonds and Pistachios
If you like nuts, you’ll be happy to learn that certain nuts can promote better sleep. Loaded with magnesium, almonds are a great choice if you want to eat some nuts before you go to sleep. If you’re not a fan of almonds, try pistachios before you hit the hay because they have plenty of magnesium, too. Want another reason to each some pistachios before bedtime? They’re a good source of vitamin B6.
Whole Grain Crackers
Do you currently eat chips before you go to bed? If so, consider making the switch to whole grain crackers. Whole grain crackers contain a good number of carbohydrates. They’re also a good source of vitamin B, which may help to prevent insomnia.
Dairy Products
If you’ve struggled to get a good night’s sleep for a while, you probably heard that drinking a warm cup of milk may facilitate sleep. Even if that’s your go-to choice for a snack that promotes sleep, you should know that just about any dairy product can improve your sleep, including yogurt and cheese. It’s the calcium in dairy products that make them smart bedtime snack options. The calcium in dairy products helps your brain process the tryptophan in the products to produce melatonin, which induces sleep.
Shop at Ben’s
Just like eating certain things can help you sleep better, so can having a comfortable mattress and mattress accessories. And that’s what you’ll find at Ben’s – comfortable mattresses, accessories and furniture at the most affordable prices around. To improve your ability to fall and stay asleep, shop with Ben’s online or visit one of our Atlanta-area retail locations today.