Do you know that an average person spends a third of their life in bed sleeping?
Good and healthy sleep is vital to heal and re-vitalise your body.
However, research shows that most adult New Zealanders are sleeping just seven hours a night, an hour less than needed.
Are you having trouble falling asleep?
Try adding these foods to your diet to increase your chances of a good night’s rest:
Dairy Products: Milk, yoghurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium. Experts say that calcium-deficiency may impair.
Therefore, include a serving of yoghurt or a cup of warm milk before going to bed.
For people who are lactose intolerant, some non-dairy options are tofu or soy milk. Include these foods in your diet to get your daily dose of calcium.
Bananas are packed with Vitamin B6, which your body uses to make Melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone that is triggered by darkness.
Snack on a banana an hour before bed or make it a delicious pre-bed smoothie by blending skim milk, a banana and a teaspoon of honey. Delicious!
Chickpeas: This legume is not only a good source of protein, but also boosts vitamin B6. Snack on some carrot sticks and hummus for a light snack an hour or so before sleeping.
Brown Rice: Whole, unrefined grains like brown rice are rich in B group vitamins, which regulate the body’s level of tryptophan.
Tryptophan is an amino acid, important for maintaining healthy sleep.
So, why not swap your bowl of basmati rice for brown?
Pumpkin Seeds are one of the most magnesium-rich foods.
This mineral helps our body calm down, relieve stress that can keep us up all night. A handful of these seeds are enough.
Christine Rocha is an accredited Practising Dietician based in Auckland. Read her article, ‘Waste not, want not food’ in this Special Report.
