Fall Foods that help you Fall Asleep
Pumpkins are a staple of Fall. All the delicious pumpkin products are available to enjoy. Pumpkin pie, Pumpkin bread, Pumpkin spiced everything but you may be surprised to learn that pumpkins contain a wonderful sleep aid inside.
Pumpkin seeds are very small but each pumpkin contains hundreds of them and they are packed with incredibly valuable nutrients. Consuming just a small amount of will provide your body with significant quantities of healthy fats, magnesium and zinc.
An ounce of shelled pumpkin seeds provides the body with manganese, phosphorous, iron, zinc, copper, heathy fats, protein, antioxidants and other benefits.
Some studies have shown that in people with low magnesium levels getting more magnesium can help with sleep. Pumpkin seeds are loaded with magnesium. These wonderful seeds also contain tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that promotes sleep. Additionally, the zinc found in pumpkin seeds is also used in the body to convert tryptophan into serotonin in the brain.
You can also find tryptophan in another delicious nap-inducing meal.
Turkey is famous for putting over-stuffed families celebrating Thanksgiving to sleep after the big meal. How does this work? Even though turkey contains tryptophan not all of the credit for putting you to sleep can be given to this one amino acid. More than likely, the cause for feeling tired after eating Thanksgiving dinner is the massive amount of carbohydrates and food your body has to process. When we eat large amounts of carbs our insulin spikes which initiates rapid glucose uptake. When a fall in blood glucose takes place afterward we feel tired. Often this is referred to as a sugar crash.
If turkey or pumpkin seeds aren’t your thing don’t worry because many foods contain tryptophan such as nuts, red meat, chicken, seeds, lentils and eggs.
If you like to have a warm glass of tea as the temperatures and leaves begin to fall you can still help yourself fall asleep. Chamomile tea is often cited as a popular remedy to get to sleep. Also, passionfruit tea has been listed by many as a great choice to help you sleep. Just drink a glass of chamomile or passionfruit tea an hour before bed. At the very least you can enjoy a nice cup of warm tea without worrying about excess caffeine that can keep you alert and unable to sleep.
What a great season to enjoy a moment of rest. Fall is the season for delicious food, warm tea and pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!