We’ve all experienced that sudden urge to take a nap right after a meal. It turns out that it’s not just our love of sleep or a hard day at work that can trigger drowsiness – it’s also the kind of food we eat every day.
We collected 9 foods that can cause drowsiness, especially when eaten together.
Best Foods to Help You Sleep
9. Dairy products
Among all the other dairy products, hard cheeses have the most relaxing effect, as they contain a lot of calcium.
Adding crackers to cheese will have a stronger sleep-inducing effect, as carbohydrates enhance tryptophan function.
8. Almonds
Almonds are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that produces melatonin, often known as the “sleep hormone.” Plus, these nuts are packed with magnesium, which relieves muscle tension and makes you sleepy.
7. Bananas
The sugar, potassium, and magnesium found in bananas make tryptophan easily enter the brain and cause sleepiness.
6. Walnuts
Walnuts contain less tryptophan than almonds, although they do have their own source of melatonin.
Research has shown that walnuts increase the level of this hormone in the blood and make you feel quite sleepy.
5. Cherries
Cherries, particularly tart cherries, have a relatively high melatonin content. However, eating a handful of fresh cherries won’t make any difference.
Drinking a glass of cherry juice will put you to sleep quickly.
Source: medicalxpress
4. Camomile Tea
Chamomile is rich in glycine, an amino acid with a mild sedative effect that relaxes the muscles and the nervous system.
After a cup of chamomile tea, you can barely keep your eyes open and focus on important topics.
3. Pumpkin Seeds
In addition to tryptophan, pumpkin seeds contain large amounts of zinc and magnesium.
These compounds leave you calm and relaxed, and you can hardly resist the temptation to doze off for a few minutes.
2. White Rice
White rice has a high glycemic index that can cause drowsiness 3 to 4 hours after finishing a meal.
The researchers found that jasmine rice, in particular, falls asleep faster than other types of rice.
1. Oily Fish
The acids contained in salmon, tuna, and other fatty fish increase the production of melatonin.
These acids lower the level of stress hormones in your blood, and all you want to do after eating is to curl up and sleep.
Source: livestrong
Preview photo credit pixabay, flickr
Based on materials from Readerʼs Digest, symptomfind, goodhousekeeping
