Food Diet Remedy

If you have a chronic case of insomnia , you will be desperate for anything that can help end the tossing and turning at night. You need not open the medicine cabinet for a sleeping pill but instead, can open your refrigeratior instead.

One thing that you may overlook is that foods can make you sleepy. After eating a big turkey dinner, it’s hard to do anything but lie down and take a nap. This is because of a chemical you’ve probably heard a lot about in recent years: tryptophan. Tryptophan allows your body to produce an amino acid called L-Tryptophan. This amino acid is essential in the production of the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin. You will find that the nerve traffic to your brain starts to slow down and you end up feeling more relaxed. .

However, eating a big meal just before sleeping has its ill benefits. Well, the good news is that turkey isn’t the only source of tryptophan. This chemical is found in dairy products, soy, meat (especially poultry), nuts, fish, beans, eggs, hummus and most other high-protein foods. If you eat any of these foods even in a small amount, your insomnia symptoms can be reduced.

What is perplexing is that many of the foods that contain tryptophan also contains another amino acid called tyrosine. This produces chemicals that perk you up instead, making you feel more energized. If you eat these foods on their own, the acids neutralize each other. The trick therefore is to eat other foods that will allow you to utilize the tryptophan and not the tyrosine.

Excellent foods for accomplishing this effect are carbohydrates. They encourage your body to produce insulin which “ties up” the tyrosine and allows the tryptophan to reach the brain without competition. Just be sure to avoid too large amounts of carbs and simple sugars. You can produce too much insulin; causing you to wake up not long after you’ve fallen asleep.

Another way to get the full benefit of tryptophan is to eat foods that will increase your brain’s absorption of this amino acid. Calcium can help you with this. Hence, the age old wisdom about having milk before sleeping lies in the fact that dairy products are a great source of tryptophan.

Been through a rough night, unable to sleep adequately and end up feeling tired, irritable and with huge eye bags the next day? Worse, to top it all, you also develop a runny nose and a bad throat by noon the next day?

Sleep helps our body release hormones that are necessary to boost the immune system, repair cells and protect against diseases. Also, getting enough sleep is essential for good skin and sparkling eyes.

Sleep is also good for the heart. Poor sleep quality has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Also blood pressure levels can rise due to inadequate sleep.

According to Newsweek® magazine -

“Melatonin is the all-natural nightcap. It’s secreted by the pineal gland, a pea-size structure at the center of the brain, as our eyes register the fall of darkness.

“At night melatonin is produced to help our bodies regulate our sleep-wake cycles. The amount of it produced by our body seems to lessen as we get older. Scientists believe this may be why young people have less problem sleeping than older people.

“Studies suggest that… supplements can hasten sleep and ease jet lag, without the hazards or side effects of prescription sleeping pills.”

Take melatonin only in the recommended dosage and only during periods of extreme stress. It is wise not to become dependent on any one particular supplement for what should be naturally occurring. I recommend focusing efforts more on getting oneself to relax naturally.