Your weight is not only directly related to the food you eat, but it also effects the quality of your sleep time. In fact, some foods even help you sleep better. By the same token there are foods that will make it even more difficult for you to sleep. Let's stay with the thought that improving your sleep can help you lose some weight for the time being. Sleep improvement foods include fruits, green leafy veggies, whole grain breads, and cereals. In fact, some spices help as well such as sage, basil, and dill just to name a few. Most everyone believes that a glass of milk just before bedtime helps... and they are correct. Milk contains tryptophan, which can be converted to serotonin. This is the hormone that controls sleep. Other similar foods of this ilk or honey, turkey, egg whites, and even tuna. So, from this list you should be able to come up with a light pre bedtime snack. Alternatively, caffeine-rich food and beverages should be avoided right before going to bed. This includes coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, soft drinks and some medications. Some foods that are rich in tyramine can also affect sleep. Tyramine actually causes the release of a substance that stimulates the brain keeping you awake. This is found in bacon, cheese, sugar, ham or tomatoes. Foods that are too spicy for your system can cause stomach irritation, reflux, or heartburn... and as such keep you awake. Sweet food or greasy foods can also cause your stomach fits and keep you awake. Although a quick nightcap (adult beverage) can indeed make you sleepy, be sure not to over indulge as this will break up your sleeping routine and have you up and going to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Another good point to keep in mind is when you eat and how much you eat also has an affect on your sleeping. For the best opportunity to sleep, you should keep the last meal you consume before going to bed a light one. Overeating can cause indigestion that will keep you up at night. Try a starting with a good breakfast, have a full lunch, and then close out the day with a lighter dinner. You may also take vitamins and supplements to aid sleep. Calcium and magnesium helps induce sleep. Calcium-rich foods include milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, sardines, salmon, broccoli, tofu, egg, and calcium-fortified food. Magnesium is found in nuts, almonds, cashews, beans, and spinach. Vitamins B6 and B12 are often beneficial and used in the treatment of insomnia. Some of the foods that contain Vitamin B6 are liver, meat, brown rice, fish, butter, wheat germ, whole grain cereals, and soybeans. Foods rich in Vitamin B12 include some plant milks, some soy products and some breakfast cereals. So... not only you are what you eat; but you are what you sleep. So, how does all this tie into losing or maintaining your weight? It's simple if you think about it... if you're getting a good night's sleep then you are going to feel better, more refreshed, and more energetic... energy that you'll use to stay more active, stay with your workout routine, go for those walks, etc... burn more calories during the day by getting a good night's sleep.
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