Bedtime Snacks that Help You Sleep

One of the best natural sedatives is tryptophan, an amino acid component of many plant and animal proteins.

Tryptophan is one of the ingredients necessary for the body to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter best known for creating feelings of calm, and for making you sleepy.

However, the trick is to combine foods that have some tryptophan with ample carbohydrate. That’s because in order for insomnia-busting tryptophan to work, it has to make its way to the brain.

Unfortunately, all amino acids compete for transport to the brain. When you add carbs, they cause the release of insulin, which takes the competing amino acids and incorporates them into muscle…but leaves tryptophan alone, so it can make its way to the brain, be converted to serotonin, and cause sleepiness.

Serotonin-producing bedtime snacks should be no more than 200 calories and should be eaten at least 30 minutes prior to bed.

Here are a few great ideas:

Bedtime Snacks for Adults
--6-8 oz container of non-fat, flavored yogurt topped with 2 tablespoons low-fat granola cereal
--Sliced apple with 1-2 teaspoons natural peanut butter
--3 cups low-fat popcorn – sprinkled with optional 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Bedtime Snacks for Teens
--One cup healthy cereal with skim milk
--Low-fat granola bar
--Scoop of vanilla or strawberry low-fat ice cream

Bedtime Snacks for Children
--1/2 cup low-fat vanilla pudding
--1/2 banana with 1-2 teaspoons peanut butter
--One cup skim milk with a bunch of grapes (or other fruit)

Source: Yahoo Health

In other news...

Some nimrods, numbnuts of my very friendly Muslim neighbours gave or bought them something like this unintentionally:



So guess who gets to keep it??? =)

Forget the Yahoo Health expert. Shameless, self-proclaimed expert and highly accomplished sleep guru Shaun recommends a laid back life style, a low work and high play diet of activities and a healthy daily dose of quality chocolates, ice-creams or the equivalent to sleep soundly at night, everynight. It also makes one oblivious to whatever events happening within the surroundings during the attempted shut-eye sessions. Works equally well during the day as seen and testified by many credible eye witnesses, classmates and coursemates throughout Shaun's not-so-illustrious education years.

Sleepless? Try it today!