Let’s begin by looking at food types you should be avoiding – Alcohol! Yes, it is a common myth that alcohol will help you sleep better – ever had the occasional night cap? Alcohol not only increases your blood pressure, but also makes you go to the toilet throughout the night. The same goes with coffee, black tea, coke, sugar, chicken, and curry. Chicken, beside the fact that they are healthy when taken at the right time they have a lot of proteins that can shorten your digestion by 50%. Curry, with spicy seasonings like cayenne pepper, chilli powder and ginger can irritate your stomach and may cause heart burn.

What kind of food types can help us sleep?

Here at the Bathmate blog we provide you with health based content to suit your needs. We have taken a look at what type of food can help you get good night’s sleep – Some foods are better than others for various reasons like flavour, lactose intolerance or the amount of calories they contain. Here is the list of 5 kinds of food types that make you sleep better.

1. Products that are a source of B vitamin. Whole wheat bread, eggs, sea food, nuts, almonds, pulses (lentils, chickpea, beans), soya, bananas. B vitamins are great as they take a key role in serotonin and melatonin production. Correct level of melatonin and serotonin shortens the time taken to fall asleep by up to 50%!

2. Products full of magnesium are fantastic to add to your diet – dry fruits, green vegetables such as lettuce and pumpkin seeds. 100 grams of pumpkin seeds has a whopping 540 mg magnesium! Another brilliant product full of magnesium is buckwheat. Buckwheat is one of the best products to eat when it comes to better quality sleep. Not only does it have a lot of magnesium but also contains tryptophan and lysine. Twice as much fibre than in pasta or rice, de-acidification characteristics, full of B vitamins and iron, calcium and E vitamins!

3. Folic acid (B9 vitamin). As you know it’s good for pregnant women, Folic acid helps you sleep and relax, but without it you can suffer from anaemia or even depression. Broccoli, spinach, asparagus, oranges, limes, liver and yeast are the food products which help you to make your quality of sleep better.

4. Herbal teas. Try one of the following – Chamomile, white tea, lemon balm tea or valerian root tea. Try to drink it before you go to bed.

5. Attention please! Here are some of the strongest plants and herbs to help you drift off into very deep sleep. Nightshade plants, potatoes, red pepper, tomatoes and eggplant. But be careful, if you cook tomato leaves, they may poison you.

Eating the right food will help you to maintain your sleep pattern and make you feel more relaxed. The main point to understand is that not only your diet is important but also your actions. Make sure you drink the proper drinks, have a smart phone detox, plenty of fresh air and exercising. People who feel bad or sick after eating late at night or late evenings can exchange it for a cup of herbal tea as mentioned above or maybe just a glass of warm milk – it’s time to ditch the late night coffees and fizzy pop! You can also try using some drops of lavender oil on your blanket and pillow, because it helps not only with sleep but also matters of stress.

Bathmate recommends that you are careful – if changing your diet habits does not help and you don’t begin to sleep better, it may be time to go to the doctor to find out if there is any underlying medical reason for your lack of sleep. It can be insomnia, over time a lack of sleep can become extremely dangerous to your overall health. Implement changes, monitor the differences and seek medical guidance if you are still struggling to sleep on a night.