During the summer season, sleeping at night can be challenging, with discomfort, humidity, body rashes, and other issues. Since nights are shorter, as soon as the body falls into deep sleep, it's already daytime.
To combat all these challenges and help the body fall asleep fast, you must make changes to your diet. One way to do that is to include sleep-inducing foods in your diet that can help improve your sleep quality and provide additional benefits as well.
Refreshing foods, filled with carbs and fibre, and also cool the body are generally considered effective during warmer days. Below is a list of six amazing foods and drinks that you should take before bed to help your body wind down.
Include These 5 Foods For Better Sleep
1) Chamomile tea
Image Credit: Freepik
Chamomile tea is known for its therapeutic properties. Every cup of this herbal tea is brimming with antioxidants that help improve sleep quality. Antioxidants like flavons have anti-inflammatory properties, which reduce the risk for chronic diseases like cancer and tumours. The apigenin in chamomile tea, another type of antioxidant, connects brain receptors, which induces sleep and alleviates insomnia. Drinking chamomile tea before bed will help you see results effectively.
2) Kiwi
Image Credit: Freepik
Kiwi or kiwifruit contains melatonin which helps regulate the natural circadian rhythm of the body. This facilitates sleep and helps maintain it. A study published in 2023 to inspect the impact of kiwifruit consumption on the sleep and recovery of elite athletes concluded that consuming two kiwifruit one hour before bed for four weeks has the potential to improve athletes' sleep and recovery.
3) A Glass Of Milk
Image Credit: Freepik
Drinking a glass of milk before bed is a well-known remedy and has been in use for several years. Milk has tryptophan in it which is an amino acid that transforms into serotonin and melatonin that promotes relaxation and improves sleep quality. However, more research is needed to study the effects of milk better. Still, it has been deemed effective in inducing sleep for several years. Despite the warm weather, it is recommended to drink milk warm rather than cold before bed.
4) Soaked Almonds
Image Credit: Freepik
Just like milk, almonds are also a source of tryptophan and melatonin, which transform into serotonin in the body and help regulate the sleep-wake-up cycle. A study published in 2019 examined the impact of sweet almonds on students with sleep disorders and insomnia. The study found that students who regularly consumed almonds showed improved sleep patterns as compared to those who didn't.
5) Banana
Image Credit: Freepik
Bananas are filled with essential nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B6, which are known to improve sleep quality. They also contain melatonin and tryptophan, which are great for helping you sleep. Eating bananas before bed in soaring temperatures cools down the body and secretes these essential nutrients and hormones, which promotes good sleep and also helps maintain it.
These five foods are a surefire remedy for improving sleep quality and overall mental health. In addition to releasing good hormones in the body, they alleviate irritation and stress, ultimately making you feel happy and relaxed.