Getting good sleep is incredibly important for your overall health. It may reduce the risk of developing certain chronic illnesses, keep your brain and digestion healthy and boost your immune system. It’s generally recommended to get between 7 and 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
There are many strategies you can use to promote good sleep, including making changes to your diet, as some foods have sleep-promoting properties.
Jumia Food, Nigeria’s no 1 food ordering platform discusses, the best foods you can eat before bed to boost your sleep quality.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are great sources of potassium, magnesium, and calcium to help you relax. You can eat a baked sweet potato for whatever you eat right before going to bed.
Fibre-rich foods
Eating more fibre can also help you sleep better. Fibre prevents blood sugar surges that may lower melatonin (a hormone that regulates sleep and wakefulness). Some rich fibre foods include beans, nuts and vegetables.
Bananas
Bananas are rich in potassium and are also a good source of Vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin. This can help your muscles relax and help you catch some sleep, especially at night.
Nuts
If you do not really like bananas at night, then eating nuts is a perfect alternative for you. For example, almonds, cashews and peanuts are a good before-bed snack, thanks to their magnesium content. This said, ensure that you don’t eat too much.
Dairy
If you’re an insomniac, you’re also probably familiar with the idea that drinking a warm glass of milk will solve the problem. Turns out, any milk product will do the trick.
Submitted by Ogunfowoke, Adeniyi Ayuba