The Best Advice On How To Get A Good Night's Sleep

A lot of your ability to sleep is dependent on your diet. Not only food but also what you drink can have consequences for a good night's sleep and we tend to ignore the bad habits we may have. 

When we sleep our bodies produce the sleep hormone 'melatonin' and a lot of food actually contains that hormone naturally. Maybe you've heard of drinking a warm glass of milk before sleeping? Milk products in general contain melatonin so it proves to be true - and it'll literally make you sleep like a baby.

Melatonin is also produced when you are in a dark environment - so lights off! when it's bedtime! 

You might already know this, but it won't hurt mentioning it one more time: no coffee after 9pm! Caffeine has an invigorating effect that stresses you body and brain and will keep you from relaxing the next couple of hours after drinking it. Same with sugar. Have a coke before the marathon, not 8 hours before you wake up at 7am to go to work.

Another beverage that will affect your sleep is: alcohol. You may pass out like a candle when you go home after a big night out but that's basically because you numbed your brain completely. Drinking alcohol is fun but you can't forgot that you're in fact poisoning your body. The reason why you'll stay exhausted no matter how many hours of sleep you've had when hungover is simply because your body doesn't relax as long as there's alcohol in your blood. It will knock you unconscious but you wont have a deep sleep - that's why you have so many vivid dreams when you've been drinking... or is that just me?

Strong spices like chilli - and sometimes even ginger - can also affect your energy level but not for as long as caffein. Having a hot Indian curry for dinner is no problem just don't eat habanero before sleepy time. 

However, having a small meal before you go to sleep can actually be a good idea but mainly if the meal contains melatonin. An example could be skyr with walnuts and dark chocolate. Walnut contains melatonin and chocolate reduces stress. Skyr has a high protein content that stabilises your blood sugar as well as calcium, a sleep improving mineral.

Other food you can add to your daily routine that contains melatonin could be bananas, almonds and dates.

At last: it isn't just food that affects the quality of your sleep. The most important thing of all is actually having routines. What controls our day rhythm is mostly light and dark, when you wake up and when you eat. Having regular eating routines during the day makes your body and brain calm and at the end of the day it'll make it easier for you to relax. 

Sleep tight!