Doctors have revealed: Does drinking milk really make you sleepy? Warning: 3 foods you shouldn’t eat that will really make you unable to sleep!
Better know… The doctor answers all 3 foods you should eat and 3 foods you should avoid for the best sleep!
Dr Hana Patel, a doctor with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), says food and drink can have a huge impact on the quality of our sleep, and it’s not just about when you eat, but also what you eat.
Dr. Patel told Time4Sleep that there are a แทงบอล UFABET ราคาดีที่สุด ไม่มีขั้นต่ำ list of foods and drinks that we “should eat” and conversely, there are some foods that we “should avoid” eating before bed to help us get a better night’s sleep.
Foods and drinks that help you sleep
Dairy products
“Dairy products such as yogurt, milk and cheese contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which helps us fall asleep more easily,” Dr Patel says. “The calcium in these foods also helps reduce stress and produces melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep.”
Cherry
Dr. Patel explains that cherries can help with sleep because they contain a high amount of melatonin, and sour cherries are more effective than sweet cherries because of the different amounts of melatonin and tryptophan. Cherries not only help you fall asleep faster, but also stay asleep for longer.
“There are a variety of products available if you want to get the benefits before bed. Instead of choosing plain cherries, you can try frozen or dried cherries, or even cherry juice,” the doctor says.
Almond
“Almonds are rich in magnesium, which promotes both relaxation and sleep,” says Dr Patel. “Magnesium also helps regulate melatonin, which regulates our body’s sleep-wake cycles. On a physical level, magnesium helps our muscles relax and regulates muscle contractions.
“Almonds also help control blood sugar levels, as they contain nutrients that slow digestion, making them the perfect food for a good night’s sleep.”
Foods and drinks to avoid for a good night’s sleep
chocolate
“Although chocolate is delicious, it contains caffeine, which disrupts deep sleep,” says Dr. Patel. “Dark chocolate, in particular, contains more caffeine than milk chocolate. It is recommended to avoid caffeine at least two hours before bedtime.”
Sugary foods
“Eating a sugary meal right before bed can cause your blood sugar levels to spike before eventually dropping, which can disrupt sleep and make you feel more restless,” Dr. Patel says.
Spicy food
“It’s best to try to avoid eating spicy foods before bed, as they can disrupt sleep,” says Dr Patel. “It can cause digestive discomforts such as heartburn and indigestion, and the increased body temperature from the capsaicin in chili peppers can make it harder to fall asleep. The body has to work harder to digest spicy foods, which means it can’t get the rest it needs to get a good night’s sleep.”
Breaking the myths about milk, cheese and alcohol
Misinformation about food and sleep is often spread online, so Dr. Patel took the opportunity to clarify whether the information many people believe is actually fact or fiction!
Cheese Gives Us Nightmares: Not True
“There’s a lot of misconceptions that cheese can give you nightmares,” Dr Patel said. “Eating a heavy meal close to bedtime can cause digestive discomfort and may interfere with sleep. However, cheese-based snacks and sweets are not a cause of nightmares.”
Milk makes us sleepy: True
“Milk, like other dairy products, contains tryptophan, which helps us sleep,” says Dr. Patel. “While drinking milk in normal amounts does not cause drowsiness, having a warm glass of milk before bed may help you relax.”
Alcohol makes us sleep better: Not true
“Regular alcohol consumption can have a negative impact on sleep quality, including making you feel tired and sluggish,” says Dr Patel. “While some people find that alcohol helps them fall asleep faster at first, it generally has a greater impact on sleep quality throughout the night.”
“Alcohol disrupts your sleep cycle and causes you to spend less time in REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which is part of why you may feel less refreshed when you wake up. Even a few drinks can have this effect!”