How to eat your way into a good nights sleep

How to eat your way into a good nights sleepHow to eat your way into a good nights sleepMore and more research is pointing to the importance of a good nights sleep in performance, mental and physical health, appetite and even cell renewal. But for many of us, modern life seems to be an endless struggle to fall asleep, followed by a morning fight against grogginess.We try to counter our disrupted sleep cycles with caffeine and sweet treats, only to find our sleep disrupted even further. So which everyday ingredients help, rather than hinder a peaceful night?OatsNutritionist Cassandra Barns explains how oats can have a positive effect on our sleeping patterns and can help us drift off As well as being a good way to start the day, oats can be a great way to end the day. Surprisingly, your body requires energy to sleep, as well as to be active. The slow-releasing carbohydrates in oats drip-feed your cells with energy throughout the night, and can stop your blood sugar from falling too lo w and waking you up. The carbohydrates can also help the amino acid, tryptophan, to cross into your brain to make melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle.Herbal teasHydrating and soothing, herbal teas are a great alternative to a modell cuppa and can have a wide range of digestive and calming effects. They also will help you minimize your caffeine intake (try to not have any coffee or PG tips after midday).Oily fishSalmon and tuna are high in vitamin B6, which is instrumental in making serotonin and melatonin, hormones that relax you and prepare you for sleep. Theyre also universally known to be good for you in a variety of different ways and good health contributes to good sleep. Experts recommend eating at least two portions of fatty fish a week but few of us in the UK actually achieve that amount.For food on the go, Itsu has a range of fresh, healthy and Omega-3 packed lunches that wont break the bank.ChocolateChocolate can boost serotonin, helping you sleep, but eat too much and you might be kept up by the naturally occurring caffeine content. Ombars raw chocolate preserves all the nutrients in fermented cacao that are sometimes eliminated through pasteurization in other brands. It uses coconut sugar, a gentler and less refined alternative to cane and tastes delicious too.This article first appeared on Coffee Break.