Three superfoods to help to get a good night`s sleep

Liji Varghese

Working odd hours, eating junk and a sedentary lifestyle can hinder your sleep pattern. Nine out of ten people complain about not getting a good night`s sleep and how it makes them feel exhausted and depressed throughout the day.

According to studies, your eating habits greatly influence the way you sleep at night. Experts suggest that eating a banana or drinking a glass of milk can help you get a sound sleep whereas spicy food or caffeine intake will only keep you awake till late at night.

Here are three top foods that can help you get quality rest:

1. Warm milk: Remember your mother insisting you to drink a glass of milk before going to bed? Having a glass of warm milk before bedtime does help you fall back into the comforts of your bed as it contains sleep-enhancing properties. Milk contains the amino acid L-tryptophan, which helps produce sleep-inducing chemicals, serotonin and melatonin. The high calcium content in milk has a calming effect on the nervous system.
   
2. Cherries: Cherries are natural source of melatonin, the brain chemical that regulates the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Having cherries an hour before bedtime, particularly tart cherries, can help people with insomnia sleep better.
   
3. Bananas: A rich source of potassium and magnesium, bananas help relax the muscles. They are also good sources of tryptophan - an amino acid that helps your brain produce the chemical serotonin that promotes sound sleep. Bananas are a healthy alternative, being rich in iron, vitamin B6, carbohydrates and dietary fibers. Carbs enhance relaxation and fibers help curb night time hunger pangs.