Foods To Keep In Your Kitchen For SLEEP
Welcome to the second WOW in the SERIES called:
“Foods To Keep In Your Kitchen For…”
Last week was all about digestion.
This week is all about SLEEP. 💤
Quality shut-eye is essential to living well. Sleep is not a time where our mind & body shut down. Sleep is an active period that our body uses to recharge & repair all of our cells. Proper sleep helps improve metabolism, energy, immunity, mood, and mental & physical performance.
Here are 4 foods I always keep in my kitchen for better SLEEP 😴
1. TART CHERRY CONCENTRATE
Tart cherry 🍒 juice is a natural source of , a hormone that regulates the body’s internal clock & sleep-wake cycle. Tart cherry concentrate is the super-charged version of tart cherry juice. Every 2 tablespoons of concentrate has the juice of over 60 cherries.
Pro-tip: Create a “natural jello shot” by mixing 2 tablespoons of tart cherry concentrate + 1 tablespoon of chia seeds and chill in the fridge. Perfect as an after-dinner treat w/ a dollop of whipped cream.
2. PUMPKIN SEEDS
Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of magnesium. One study in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences found that magnesium supplements improved insomnia and sleep efficiency. Pro-tip: Add pumpkin seeds to dinner salads in place of croutons or to soups as garnish. Also magnesium-rich: hemp seeds, almonds, cashews.
3. CHAMOMILE TEA
Chamomile contains flavonoids such as chrysin & apigenin which may bind to GABA receptors in the brain to produce an overall calming effect.
Pro-tip: Get in the habit of sipping a cup of chamomile nightly w/ a splash of steamed almond milk.
4. COTTAGE CHEESE
Cottage cheese contains the amino acid L-tryptophan. Tryptophan plays a role in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s associated w/ healthy sleep.
Research found people who ate cottage cheese about 30 minutes to an hour before going to bed experienced better metabolism, muscle quality, and overall health than people who didn’t.
Pro-tip: Enjoy cottage cheese w/ a sprinkle of cinnamon as a creamy treat before bed. Choose cottage cheese w/ added probiotics for an extra gut boost. Vegan swap: Tahini and sunflower seed butter contain tryptophan.
*BONUS*
Invest in a Sleep Mask.
They work! Here’s how: Research finds sleep masks decrease the stress hormone cortisol & increase sleep-enhancing melatonin.
Originally published at https://www.dawnjacksonblatner.com on January 20, 2020.
