Snacks That Help with Falling Asleep
Sleep is a very important component of good health. It affects everything from mental health to the amount of physical activity a person can do. The appropriate amount of sleep helps maintain body weight, mood, physical and mental productivity, stress reduction and blood pressure. Lack of sleep increases a person’s risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. The CDC recommends at least 7 hours of sleep or more for every age. Foods can increase the amount and quality of sleep we get each night: 1. Almonds This nut contains large levels of melatonin. Melatonin helps the body maintain healthy sleep patterns. The calcium and magnesium in almonds help the body’s muscles relax and promote sleep. Almond butter, almond milk, roasted, honey and cinnamon flavored are a few ways the nut can be added to the diet. 2. Turkey Turkey contains an amino acid called tryptophan. The body uses tryptophan to produce vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 helps the body relax enough to sleep. The body does not produce its own tryptophan. This vitamin B packed meat can be enjoyed in jerky form, as a snack. 3. Walnuts Walnuts contain the amino acid tryptophan. The amino acid helps the body produce serotonin and melatonin.