Dinners that help you sleep
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With the holidays just around the corner, we at Morfeo have put together a super special post for you: dinners that help you sleep better. We know that often, a bad night's sleep comes from eating really heavy dinners.
Because what you eat plays a huge role in both being awake and getting your sleep. So, jot down these tips, to make sure your rest is absolutely perfect 😉
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A Good Mattress Helps Too!
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Why Rest is So Important
Getting enough rest is absolutely essential for your body and mind to work properly. A lot of the time, we don't get the quality sleep we need. There are tons of reasons for this: stress, nerves, worries, not being active enough, and so on. Eating a big dinner late at night can definitely lead to sleep problems or disorders.
Certain foods can actually perk you up instead of helping you relax at night. That's why it's super important to create a sleep routine and stick to it every day. This routine should include eating light dinners or foods that are easy to digest and help you drift off to sleep at night.
Dinners that help you sleep
The time we spend eating lunch or dinner is heavily influenced by social habits, our daily routines, leisure activities, and so on. All of these things play a part in your sleep quality and eating habits.
Not getting enough good sleep can mess with your hormones, which then affects your appetite. This often leads to eating more frequently and reaching for quick, less healthy foods. Eating more than usual for dinner isn't good for your sleep, or your health. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Timing
This depends on each person's routine and sleep schedule. You shouldn't eat dinner too early, as that might make you hungry in the middle of the night and wake you up for a snack. And eating dinner and then immediately going to bed isn't a good idea either.
It's a good idea to leave some time between dinner and bedtime. Two hours gives your body enough time to digest, so you can go to bed without feeling heavy.
The Amount
You should eat just the right amount of calories for what you'll be doing. At night, you barely burn any calories, so almost everything you eat turns into weight. A really big dinner will definitely make it hard to sleep. But it's also not good to go to bed with an empty stomach. You want to feel satisfied, but not bloated or heavy.
Type of Food
Eating light dinners, without too much fat and in just the right amount, is good for your health. Dinners should be balanced, not too big, and include healthy foods like veggies, proteins, and fruit. Steaming, boiling, baking, or grilling are your best bets. Use just a teaspoon of olive oil and steer clear of fried and pre-cooked foods.
Foods to Avoid
The type of food you eat is also a big factor. Spices and seasonings, spicy foods, coffee, sodas, or fizzy drinks usually aren't a great idea at night. Fried foods, pastries, or processed foods won't help you get to sleep either.
Foods That Make It Easier to Sleep
Having a good sleep schedule and getting the recommended hours of sleep is super important for good rest. There are also foods and substances that can help improve your sleep quality. Some experts suggest eating certain foods:
1. Rich in Tryptophan
This group includes foods like bananas, pineapple, avocado, milk, meat, eggs, oily fish, and nuts. These foods help your body produce serotonin and melatonin (which regulates your circadian rhythm and helps you sleep).
They're also packed with magnesium, calcium, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and B vitamins. Pineapple stands out among these for its anxiety-calming properties, and eating it is linked to better rest.
2. Carbohydrates
This group includes foods like pasta, potatoes, bread, and cereals in general (rice, oats, wheat, or corn). They're essential for tryptophan absorption and provide a good amount of B vitamins (which support a healthy nervous system).
3. Dairy Products
Cheeses (not too fatty), yogurt, and milk. They provide minerals like magnesium and zinc, which help with tryptophan absorption. Milk is rich in calcium and vitamin B12, substances that are easily absorbed and help regulate sleep.
Sipping a warm glass of milk before bed can really boost feelings of well-being and relaxation.
4. Herbal Teas
Thanks to their ingredients, some herbal teas can really help you relax and get some rest. Valerian, linden, lemon balm, or chamomile are some of the most popular ones for helping you drift off to sleep.
Hitting the Hay After Dinner
To get a good night's rest, it's a good idea to leave some time between dinner and when you hit the hay. If you've eaten out, taking a stroll before heading home is a great way to help digest your meal.
If you're having dinner at home, it's best to eat a couple of hours before it's time to go to bed. This way, you'll help your digestion and make it easier to fall asleep.
We don't recommendgoing to bed right after dinner, as it can cause discomfort while you sleep, like acidity, heartburn, or reflux. It also makes it harder to sleep because of that bloated or heavy feeling from the food you've eaten. This usually happens with really big dinners.
A Good Mattress Helps Too!
Knowing which foods help you fall asleep is great for getting proper rest. But, sleep quality is also super important. To get the best rest possible, you need one essential thing: your mattress.
A good mattress for rest, like our Morfeo mattresses, is synonymous with quality sleep. Our products are designed to ensure the best rest, featuring the finest materials, finishes, and the latest sleep technologies. If you want to sleep like never before, don't hesitate to visit our website. At Morfeo, you can try our mattress for 100 nights, no strings attached 😉
