May 19,2014
by Michael Ravensthorpe
Source: Natural News
(NaturalNews) According to the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and
Medicine, nearly 1 in 10 adults in the United States suffers from
insomnia. Although most of these people suffer from short-term insomnia,
many of them also suffer from chronic insomnia (i.e., difficulty
falling or staying asleep for more than six months). Such sleep
deprivation can significantly decrease the quality of one's life.
While
stress related to work and family remains the number one cause of
insomnia, eating the wrong foods -- such as those rich in sugar,
caffeine, gluten or polyunsaturated fat -- can also contribute to
insomnia. Therefore, improving one's diet is an important first step
toward ending insomnia, especially if one favors foods that are known to
improve sleep.
Five foods that aid sleep
1.)
Almonds -- Almonds are one of the best foods for treating insomnia since
they're excellent sources of magnesium, which is a natural muscle
relaxant and contains anti-stress properties. A study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
in December 2012 found that magnesium supplementation could "improve
subjective measures of insomnia, such as ISI score, sleep efficiency,
sleep time and sleep onset latency, early morning awakening, and
likewise, insomnia objective measures, such as concentration of serum
renin, melatonin and serum cortisol, in elderly people."
2.) Cherries -- Cherries and cherry products have often been linked to improved sleep. For example, a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition
in December 2012 found that volunteers who consumed a tart cherry juice
concentrate for seven days demonstrated "significantly elevated" total
melatonin content in their urine compared to the control group.
Consequently, the study group experienced improved sleep quality and efficiency.
3.)
Bananas -- Many people are often surprised to find that bananas can aid
sleep, since they're well-known for boosting energy. Nonetheless,
bananas are also rich in magnesium, potassium and tryptophan, which are
the "magic trio" of sleep boosters. Tryptophan is especially effective
in this regard since it is the precursor to the two neurotransmitters,
serotonin and melatonin, which modulate sleep.
4.) Valerian --
The root of the valerian plant, which is usually consumed in tea or
tincture form, has been used as a sleeping aid since Ancient Greece and
Rome. Moreover, its sedative and anxiolytic properties have been proven
by numerous studies. For example, a 2011 study published in Menopause
found that valerian extracts provided a "statistically significant"
improvement in sleep quality among postmenopausal women suffering from insomnia.
The study authors concluded that the "findings from this study add
support to the reported effectiveness of valerian in the clinical
management of insomnia."
5.) Oatmeal -- Although oatmeal is
usually associated with breakfast, its nutritional composition -- high
in magnesium and potassium -- also makes it a suitable evening food.
Even the very nature of oatmeal (warm, soothing and soft) is indicative
of sleep and calm. Moreover, oatmeal tends to be mixed with milk, which
is one of the best-known relaxation drinks.
Sources for this article include:
http://stanfordhospital.org
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23853635
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22038497
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21775910
http://science.naturalnews.com/Insomnia.html
About the author:
Michael
Ravensthorpe is an independent writer whose research interests include
nutrition, alternative medicine, and bushcraft. He is the creator of the
website, Spiritfoods, through which he promotes the world's healthiest foods.
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