Healthy Bedtime Snacks to Help You Sleep
It’s not uncommon to want to end the night with something sweet or easy before bed- some ice cream or a bowl of cereal, a piece of leftover pizza, or some nice warm toast and jam. While we understand just how enticing these snacks are, we want to offer up a few healthy alternatives that will taste good and won’t hinder your sleep- they may even help it! So grab a glass of wine (just one) and get ready for a restful nights sleep.
Fruit: Not all fruits are created equal when it comes to bedtime snacks. There’s three powerhouse fruits for catching some Zs with a full belly: bananas, tart cherries, and kiwi. Kiwis and bananas both create serotonin, a nerve messenger which partially converts to melatonin, a hormone necessary for restful sleep. Tart cherries contain both melatonin and procyanidin B-2, a phytochemical that your body uses to create melatonin on its own.
Nuts & Seeds: Pistachios and almonds come naturally packed with sleep-inducing melatonin so channel your inner squirrel and get to snacking. Pumpkin seeds are another delicious and nutritious bedtime snack containing tryptophan and magnesium- both of which will help you slip off into la la land.
Oatmeal: Not only will this snack leave you feeling satisfied and warmed from the inside out, it’ll also help you sleep. Oats, barley, and rice are rich in sleep inducing melatonin, so snack worry free.
Yogurt: There isn’t anything much easier than grabbing a yogurt and munching down, so you may be excited to hear that calcium may be linked to better sleep. Calcium is a necessary nutrient in your body’s natural creation of melatonin and tryptophan. Yogurt is also rich in Casein protein which will help to support proper blood sugar levels and keep you feeling full throughout the night.
Chamomile Tea: The smell of this caffeine-free tea alone is enough to send you off into a sweet slumber, but the tea leaves themselves contain a chemical called Apigenin known to induce drowsiness.
We’ve collected our three favorite bedtime snack recipes to share with you below. Kick your shoes off and enjoy.
Goodnight Banana Bites: This sweet bite sized treat is a good stand in for those ice cream lovers out there. Packed with nutrients and sleep-loving Melatonin, this snack can be pre-made and kept in the freezer for whenever those nighttime munchies kick in.
Sleep is Golden (Milk): The ginger and cinnamon found in this warm, earthy concoction nourish the digestive system and lull you to sleep while the anti-inflammatory properties found in turmeric make sure that you wake up looking as well rested a you feel.
Twilight Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: Satisfy that late night salt craving with these tasty pumpkin seeds. Easy to make and brimming with tryptophan and magnesium, these make a perfect bedtime snack.