SNACKS TO HELP YOU SNOZE
A GOOD night’s sleep for most healthy people depends on a balance of the naturally produced, sleep-inducing hormones serotonin and melatonin in our system. If you don’t suffer from insomnia, but still want to guarantee a good night’s sleep every night, it is worth ensuring your diet is packed with the right nutrients to support your sleep hormones.
The sleep hormone melatonin is produced by the pineal gland. Not only does it control your sleeping and waking cycles, but it is responsible for regulating other hormones as well, making it even more important at menopause.
However, our levels of melatonin naturally drop as we age, which can lead to restlessness and trouble sleeping. You can boost your melatonin production by ensuring you get plenty of sunlight in the morning and going to bed in good time in the evening.
Certain foods can also naturally increase melatonin production because they contain nutrients that assist with serotonin production, which goes hand in hand with melatonin production. Professor Ellis says: ‘Incorporating nuts, cereals, soft fruits and/or bananas (the greener the better because, as it ripens, bananas lose their capacity to stimulate the production of melatonin) in your diet can actually help you sleep, as they can increase the levels of melatonin in the body.’ According to physiologist Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, the timing of your meals and the foods you chose can also help support good sleep. ‘Avoid skipping breakfast,’ she says. ‘A good morning meal is vital for stabilising your blood sugar levels and helping you to produce the melatonin that will enable you to sleep better later on.’ The ideal breakfast, she says, combines protein with carbohydrates (spread nut butter on your toast or stir ground almonds into your porridge). The same combination of nutrients is perfect for a late-night snack, too, because it brings together carbohydrates that induce serotonin to help you sleep, and protein to keep you feeling full through out the night and to prevent hunger pangs from waking you up during the night.
GOOD BEDTIME SNACKS:
Plain Greek yoghurt (full fat) and fresh fruit Unsweetened popcorn and a few small cubes of cheese Nut butter spread on oatcakes A small vegetable omelete wholegrain toast Cottage cheese and fruit Wholegrain pitta bread and with one slice of hummus Turkey and tomato sandwich Banana or apple with a spread of nut butter
Dr Ramlakhan also recommends that you boost your intake of foods containing tryptophan, vitamin B6, magnesium and potassium for these reasons:
TRYPTOPHAN: This amino acid helps boost levels of sleep hormones. You’ll find it in chicken and turkey, cheese, tofu, tuna, eggs, nuts (especially walnuts and cashews), seeds, milk, beans, lentils, soya beans, spinach and whole grains.
VITAMIN B6: This essential vitamin can enhance the production of melatonin. You will find it in lean meat, fish, pistachios, apricots, raisins, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes and asparagus.
MAGNESIUM AND POTASSIUM: These two key minerals help the muscles relax and so aid better sleep. Magnesium is found in whole grains, nuts and seeds, and dark green leafy vegetables. Potassium is in bananas, oranges, potatoes, apricots, yoghurt and milk.