It’s no secret that employees in Hong Kong work long hours with a heavy workload.
Some of us would rather stay up at night – with the little spare time left – to engage in our hobbies and interests. Others just lie in bed, tossing and turning restlessly, just trying to get a good night’s sleep.
We all know that stress negatively impacts sleep quality and may even lead to insomnia.
So, who knows? Maybe changing what you eat before bed can work wonders for your sleep at night. Some foods are good sources of the sleep hormone melatonin.
8 Foods to Help You Sleep Better
Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherries are a good and natural source of melatonin. But you don’t just need a few cherries – you need them highly concentrated! This is why you need a glass of tart cherry juice. Studies have shown that one glass an hour or so before bed can help you sleep better – without the bloating.
Bananas
Bananas are a good source of potassium and magnesium which contain tryptophan as a natural muscle relaxant to help you fall asleep quickly. It can also prevent people from leg cramps in deep sleep.
Honey
Honey is abundant in vitamin B and minerals which helps you feel calm and sleepy. It also relaxes your muscles.
TIP: You can blend honey with water to give flavour according to your own taste.
Almonds
Almonds are a good source of both magnesium and melatonin. While the melatonin helps you feel sleepy, magnesium aids in relaxing the muscles. So if you’re in need of a healthy midnight snack, grab some almonds and you’re good to go.
Tip: A glass of almond milk is a great source of magnesium and calcium so you can get both before you sleep.
Eggs
Like the rest, eggs are also rich in melatonin. The high protein content also acts in building muscles and maintaining the functions of the immune system.
Wheat bread
Wheat bread helps the body create insulin. This causes the amino acid tryptophan to get into the brain, thereby increasing melatonin levels.
TIP: Wheat bread tastes so much better with tea and honey!
Leafy green vegetables
Leafy green vegetables are rich in magnesium which can apparently improve your quality of sleep and help relax overstressed muscles.
Warm milk
Researchers point out that calcium deficiency easily causes insomnia. Calcium is a main natural auxiliary in the body that helps produce melatonin with tryptophan.
To prevent insomnia, avoid drinking coffee, strong tea, alcohol and eating spicy food THREE hours before bed. Staying away from the blue light emitted by your mobile phone is also a MUST to avoid sleep disruption!
At the end of the day, balanced meals, appropriate exercises, and comfy bedding are the keys to good sleep.
Should you have dietary requirements, please consult your doctor or dietitian first.