Striving4Zen: Sleepy Foods

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Sleepy Foods

Healthy Foods That Promote Restful Sleep

Tryptophan is an amino acid that your body cannot make; you must obtain it from the foods that you eat. Once tryptophan crosses your blood-brain barrier to gain access to your brain, it is used to make a hormone called serotonin.

Serotonin acts within your body to promote feelings of sleepiness, calm, and relaxation.

Without adequate levels of serotonin in your system, you will have a hard time feeling sleepy enough to rest soundly. And without adequate levels of tryptophan within your brain, you will not be able to produce significant amounts of serotonin.

The key to getting enough tryptophan to your brain to sleep well at night is to combine a tryptophan-rich food with a carbohydrate-rich food. This is because ingesting a carbohydrate-rich food causes your body to release insulin, which diverts many of your other amino acids away from your brain, leaving tryptophan with little competition to cross your blood-brain barrier to gain access to your brain.

Here is a list of some healthy foods that are naturally rich in tryptophan:

* Beans * Whole grains, including rice * Lentils * Chickpeas * Hazelnuts * Peanuts * Eggs

* Sunflower seeds * Sesame seeds * Miso * Raw dairy products

If you combine any of the food listed above with a healthy carbohydrate-rich food as an evening snack, you will provide your body with a good opportunity to produce enough serotonin to facilitate a good night's rest.

What follows are some suggestions for healthy meals and snacks that combine a tryptophan-rich food with a carbohydrate-rich food:

1. Rice with miso soup

2. Whole grain pita with hummus (add tomato and red onion slices for flavor)

3. Whole grain crackers with organic peanut butter (add a touch of honey for sweetness, if desired)

4. Rice with lentils

5. Rice, black beans, and guacamole

6. Hummus with steamed broccoli

7. Eggs with whole grain toast

Clearly, the possible combinations of tryptophan-rich foods and carbohydrate-rich foods are endless. Be creative and enjoy the process of figuring out which combinations suit your palate and help you sleep like a bear.

Source

Labels: healthy food, living holistically, serotonin, sleep, tryptophan