Photo: Tiana L. Ferrell/AFS
Many working adults have troubling falling asleep, while others find it difficult to stay asleep. According to the CDC, 42 million American workers do not get the recommended seven to nine hours of shut-eye per night.
When you sleep well, you wake up feeling refreshed and alert. Sleep, or lack thereof, affects how you look, feel, and more importantly, the way you perform during the day. The amount of sleep you get each night can have a major impact on your overall quality of life.
During the four stages of sleep, your body recoups from the various daily activities by relaxing muscles, growing and repairing tissues, restoring energy, and releasing hormones, such as: Growth hormone, essential for growth and development, including muscle development. Sleep can help you thrive by contributing to a healthy immune system.
Here are a few foods that may get you closer to dream land.
- Fish- Salmon, halibut, and tuna can boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin, which helps control your sleep and wake cycles.
- Whole Grains- Bulgur, barley and other whole grains are rich in magnesium. Not consuming enough magnesium may make it difficult to stay asleep, according to the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine.
- Bananas- Bananas, are rich in potassium and are also a good source of Vitamin B6.
- Walnuts- Walnuts are a good source of tryptophan, a sleep-enhancing amino acid that helps make serotonin and melatonin.
- Lettuce- Lettuce contains lactucarium, which has sedative properties and affects the brain similarly to opium. Therefore, having a salad for dinner could speed up your bedtime.
The article provided is for information purposes only. Please consult with your professional health care provider as to whether this information can benefit you.
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