Since I’ve become a mom, it’s
a challenge for me to get enough sleep. It’s become harder for me
to fall asleep because I’m thinking about work, the baby, all the
stuff that needs to be done around the house, what to make for
dinner the next night...and the list goes on. (At least I’ve got a
handle on the dinner thing—I either make one of
these cheap, 30-minute dinner recipes or make
a
super-easy meal in my slow cooker.)
I’m not OK with getting less than the recommended 8 to 9 hours
per night, since sleep is so important to my health and my figure
(research links weight gain with sleep loss). (Find
5 foods that do the weight-loss work for you
here.)
So in the interest of giving myself the best chance for a good
night’s sleep (especially with the spring time change), I took a
look at advice from EatingWell Nutrition Advisory Board member Dr.
Rachel Johnson on
which foods and drinks can help promote better
sleep. Here’s what the research says:
Carbohydrate-Rich Dinners (This one works!): A
light bedtime snack can stave off hunger, a known sleep robber. But
eating quickly-digested carbs (a.k.a, “high-glycemic-index” or “GI”
carbohydrates such as jasmine rice) hours earlier at dinner—might
also help. A study found that when healthy sleepers ate
carbohydrate-rich suppers of veggies and tomato sauce over rice,
they fell asleep significantly faster at bedtime if the meal
included high-GI jasmine rice rather than lower-GI long-grain rice.
The study authors speculated that the high-GI meals triggered
greater amounts of insulin, which increased the ratio of tryptophan
relative to other amino acids in the blood, allowing
proportionately more to get into the brain and make people
drowsy.
Warm Milk: Decades ago, scientists looked into
this folk remedy and posited that tryptophan, an amino acid in milk
(and turkey), might be responsible for its supposed sleep-inducing
effects. Earlier research had shown that when tryptophan is
released into the brain, it produces serotonin—a serenity-boosting
neurotransmitter. But when milk (and other tryptophan-rich foods)
were tested, they failed to affect sleep patterns, perhaps because
other amino acids in those foods competed with tryptophan to get
into the brain. Warm milk at bedtime may be comforting, but it
won’t boost sleep-promoting serotonin.
Herbal Tea: Chamomile, lemon balm, hops and
passionflower are all touted for their sleep-promoting properties.
You’ll often find them in “sleep-formula” tea blends, but
unfortunately their effectiveness hasn’t been proven in clinical
studies, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Some
experts say that these teas may work for some, and a warm liquid
before bed may make you sleepy by generating body heat. That said,
a cup of “sleep-time” tea might be worth a try.
Caffeine: Caffeine affects everyone
differently, so if you’re sensitive it might be worth trying to cut
down—or limit caffeine to the morning only. This can mean more than
just cutting out a cup of coffee. The major sources of caffeine in
Americans’ diets are coffee (71 percent), soft drinks (16 percent)
and teas (12 percent) but chocolate is also a source. Our ability
to excrete caffeine decreases with age so while you might have
tolerated four cups of coffee a day when you were 20, you’ll
probably need to cut down as you get older. Cut down on caffeine or
limit it to the morning; if insomnia persists, consider going cold
turkey.
Try this drink to cure a headache & 4 more home remedies for
common ailments.
Alcohol: Though a glass of wine may help you
fall asleep, excessive alcohol use can make you wake up in the
night. One theory is that alcohol suppresses the REM (rapid eye
movement) sleep state that’s critical to a good night’s sleep.
Drink moderately, if at all; avoid drinking within a few hours of
bedtime.
Sleep Supplements: Shelves in supplement stores
are stacked with sleep formulas. According to one NIH survey
conducted in 2002, 1.6 million people tried complementary or
alternative therapies like these, and over half of them reported
their insomnia improved “a great deal.” However, those glowing
anecdotes haven’t been backed up by rigorous scientific study;
evaluations of most nutritional supplements haven’t shown any
effects whatsoever. The one exception is valerian root, which
seemed to help improve sleep (with rare, and mild, side effects,
such as stomach upset). But finding an effective formulation of
valerian root is tricky, since the FDA doesn’t regulate herbal
supplements. Don’t waste your money on sleep supplements; hold off
on using valerian until standardized formulations become
availabl