The food you eat can impact how you sleep.

Everything feels worse when you are tired.

It is hard to concentrate.

Patience is in short supply.

All you want to do is sleep and sleep well.

According to a recent AARP article titled “Superfoods to Help You Sleep” better sleep may start with what and how you eat.

Select the snacks you eat before bed wisely.

How so?

The hypothalamus controls the master clock and sleep-wake cycle of people.

Organs like the liver and pancreas also serve as peripheral clocks as they control physical functions like managing cholesterol, blood sugar, digestion, and hormone secretion.

The time you eat affects these organs and can contradict your circadian system.

This in turn can impact how you rest as you sleep.

Ideally, you finish a good dinner with carbs, fiber, and protein two hours before you go to bed.

When you eat, your body recognizes this as a sign you are supposed to be awake rather than asleep.

Human bodies were not designed to digest food while lying down.

What happens if you are hungry again and cannot sleep at night?

Choose your snack wisely.

Consider these options for munching before hitting the sheets.

Kiwi.

Kiwis have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds to boost your immune system.

They are also high in serotonin.

Serotonin is a precursor for the hormone melatonin.

Melatonin is connected to improved sleep.

Pumpkin seeds.

These seeds are high in magnesium.

In fact, a single ounce provides 37 percent of the daily recommended value.

Magnesium helps relax your body and brain to support better sleep.

Cheese.

Like pumpkin seeds, cheese has magnesium.

It also has calcium and tryptophan.

These elements all benefit restful sleep.

Some research has demonstrated consuming two tablespoons of cottage cheese 30 to 60 minutes before going to bed improves muscle recover and metabolism.

These are all great reasons to eat cheese.

Tart cherry juice.

Cherry juice contains anti-inflammatory property and has a high melatonin concentration.

Taking a drink before bed can help you sleep restfully.

Tea.

Chamomile tea has antioxidants and is also calming.

With flavonoid apigenin, it promotes feelings of sleepiness.

Green tea with low-caffeine also can be a good drink option.

It contains amino acid theanine to lower stress.

Although big meals are best consumed at least two hours before bed, certain snacks may promote rather than hinder sleep quality when you eat them near bedtime.

Reference: AARP (Oct. 5, 2021) “Superfoods to Help You Sleep”