FOOD FOR SLEEP

CHANGING our evening eating habits really helped our sleep.

The hormone melatonin is key to good sleep, but declines as we age. It also promotes longevity — another reason to boost your levels of it.

Cherries and oats contain melatonin, while foods rich in vitamin B6 or the amino acid tryptophan help your body make melatonin, so it’s wise to include both in evening meals. Good sources include sunflower seeds, pistachios, tuna, wild salmon, avocado, chicken, cooked spinach, bananas and prunes. Magnesium is another nutrient vital for sleep — it’s found in almonds, leafy greens, bananas and fish — as is calcium (leafy greens, yoghurt, cheese).

Some foods have a double-whammy of sleepinducing nutrients. Prunes contain vitamin B6, calcium and magnesium, for example. Our perfect supper is fish, leafy greens and wholegrain carbohydrates, followed by a banana and cherries or yoghurt with prunes.

Complex carbohydrates are important as they help the brain absorb tryptophan and make you feel full. Sweet potato does all this and contains vitmain B6, calcium and magnesium.

But avoid aubergines, tomatoes, pineapple, chocolate, fermented/ cured foods and wine before bed, as they contain a brain stimulant called tyramine.