Food and drinks to treat insomnia

What you eat and drink can have a big effect on sleep quality. Certain types of food and drinks are even considered effective in overcoming common sleep disorders such as insomnia. Changing your diet can of course be a natural way if you don't want to take sleeping pills.

The best foods and drinks to treat insomnia

Source: Dentist Conroe, TX

Food and drinks do not immediately get rid of insomnia. What's more, insomnia is influenced by many factors that may have been going on for years. However, both can help you sleep better in many ways.

Here are some types of foods and drinks that can help you deal with insomnia.

1. Chicken meat

Launching the American Sleep Association, chicken can help you sleep soundly because it contains tryptophan. Tryptophan is one of the essential amino acids, which is the smallest part of protein that the body cannot produce so it must be obtained from food.

Tryptophan is needed in the production of serotonin, melatonin, and vitamin B6. Serotonin provides a feeling of relaxation and mood well, vitamin B6 is very important for the formation of melatonin, while melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep cycle.

2. Fish

Fish is usually synonymous with protein, but this food turns out to be useful for treating insomnia because it is rich in vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps build melatonin while working with serotonin to maintain a balanced sleep cycle.

Melatonin production usually starts just as late as night. Eating fish a few hours before bed helps stimulate melatonin formation earlier so that you feel sleepy faster.

3. Almonds

Almonds are a natural source of the hormone melatonin. These foods are also dense in various minerals, especially magnesium. Eating a few almonds is enough to meet 19% of your daily magnesium needs.

Magnesium helps you sleep well by reducing inflammation in the body. This mineral is also able to reduce levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that often interferes with sleep at night.

4. Fruits

Some fruits contain melatonin, so they can help you fall asleep faster without waking up too much in the middle of the night. This is why fruit is one of the foods that are useful for dealing with insomnia.

Choose fruits with high melatonin content such as kiwi, pineapple, and oranges. Try eating two fruits a few hours before going to bed for one month. This method is believed to increase sleep duration up to one hour.

5. Warm milk

Several previous studies have shown that drinking milk at night can help overcome sleep problems. It is not yet known what causes it, but experts suspect it has something to do with the tryptophan and melatonin content in milk.

However, warm milk also has a strong psychological effect that appears during childhood. Drinking a glass of warm milk before bed makes your body more relaxed so you can sleep soundly.

6. Chamomile tea

If you are looking for the best drink to reduce sleep problems, herbal teas like chamomile are the champions. Chamomile tea contains antioxidants called flavones. This substance can relieve inflammation which is often a barrier from deep sleep.

Chamomile tea is also rich in antioxidants in the form of apigenin. Apigenin is able to bind to receptors on brain cells that cause drowsiness. According to a study, drinking chamomile tea regularly can help you sleep 15 minutes earlier.

7. Honey

Honey, which is rich in medicinal properties, is also useful for treating insomnia. This is because naturally in honey can reduce levels of orexin, a chemical in the brain that keeps you awake.

Drinking honey before bed will also trigger insulin production. Apart from regulating blood sugar levels, this hormone also makes more tryptophan enter the brain. Tryptophan makes you drowsy, so you can sleep better.

8. Rice and oatmeal

Rice and oatmeal is a food source of carbohydrates. Eating carbohydrate-rich foods before bed will make you feel drowsy and make you sleep longer, as stated in a study published in the journal. PLoS One .

However, pay attention to the amount and when you eat. Rice can make blood sugar rise quickly, so don't overdo it. Eat enough portions one hour before bed to get the optimal benefits.

Insomnia can interfere with the quality of your sleep. Fortunately, there are some foods that are powerful enough to treat insomnia and make sleep better. These foods generally contain nutrients that affect the hormone melatonin.

In addition to consuming these foods and drinks, don't forget to get in the habit of sleeping and waking up at the same time. These healthy habits will make your sleep cycle more regular.