The Three Best Foods For Sleep

I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s the change in the weather but for the past week or so, I’ve woken in the morning feeling like I didn’t sleep at all. Maybe it’s because I find myself getting up several times during the night.

Nothing is more annoying than insomnia, and if you’ve read the things I’ve read, then you know that there’s all sorts of new evidence that sleep is essential for good health.

If you’re struggling to get and stay asleep but are leery of taking meds to make that happen, there are a couple foods you can eat that should help. Here are the top three from Health magazine:

Turkey contains tryptophan, a chemical that can make people fall asleep, which is why you and everyone in your house probably take a nap after Thanksgiving dinner. But if you’re a die-hard insomniac, try eating a full turkey dinner and drink a bunch of milk with your meal because milk also contains tryptophan.

Sweet potatoes are a sleeper’s dream. Not only do they provide sleep-promoting complex carbohydrates, they also contain that muscle-relaxant potassium. If you don’t like sweet potatoes, you can try some of these other potassium rich foods: lima beans, and papaya.

Valerian tea is something I swear by. The root of the valerian plant has been shown in some studies to speed the onset of sleep and improve sleep quality. Valerian is natural and doesn’t contain caffeine. The taste isn’t that fantastic, but when I’m having major sleep issues, valerian tea is the first thing I reach for and it works like a charm every time.