Losing 10 Pounds

It’s not a common fact that changing and improving your diet can greatly reduce your insomnia. Below are some helpful tips on how improving your diet can really help you sleep better and improve your life.

Particular foods can greatly affect your behaviour and mood and a proper diet can help to regulate physical and emotional reactions to stresses and is, ultimately, for better sleep.

Avoid stimulants

Key stimulants to avoid consuming late in the day are sugar and caffeine. Sugary foods raise your blood sugar levels and provide the body and with a strong burst of energy that will stimulate you, including the brain, and thus prevent sleep. Caffeine has more of a prolonged effect on the body and can cause lack of sleep hours after being consumed. Drinking coffee in the late afternoon and evening/night should most definitely be avoided. Even if you manage to fall asleep, the caffeine can wake you up.

Carbohydrates

Common foods containing carbs are rice, potatoes and whole grains and are well known for releasing insulin in the body, which allows the circulation of an amino acid called tryptophan. This amino acid converts to serotonin which calms the brain and thus aiding sleep. Therefore, building carbohydrates into your diet is key to reducing insomnia levels.

Proteins

Proteins are great for providing the body with energy throughout the day and should always be a part of your diet. Due to their energy-releasing properties, however, try to avoid consuming them late on in the day. Foods such as poultry, fish and dairy products release tyrosine into the bloodstream which stimulates the brain by producing dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. These boost mental activity and alertness. Proteins are also known to reduce the production of serotonin, which as mentioned earlier helps relax the mind.