Eat This to Sleep Well

Bananas.

 

Well, it’s not quite that simple.  But if you’re one of the millions of Americans who have trouble falling asleep, there are quite a few foods you might want to think about adding to your diet.

 The CDC recently took a survey of over 70,000 people and 35.3% of them said they had trouble sleeping.

According to Deborah Enos at livescience.com, what insomniacs are missing are certain minerals that can easily be found in foods.  Bananas are good, but dark leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and Brazil nuts, beans and lentils and some kind of fish are even better.  The magnesium in these foods may be what you are missing that’s causing you not to be able to sleep.  Enos notes that not enough magnesium may also cause depression and mental health problems.

 

Another mineral that may be missing?  Potassium, and here’s where bananas come in.  But beans, leafy greens, avocado and baked potatoes provide more, Enos writes.

 

And if you’re tired during the day, Vitamin D may be what you need more of.  Salmon, swordfish and tuna help, but you know what’s even better?  Sunshine.  Experts advise getting outside every day for a little while, even in the coldest winters.  But if you can’t do that, supplements work, too.

 

And if none of these foods appeals to you – and I admit, they’re on the back end of the pleasure scale – supplements are always good, too.

 

I’m just waiting till M&Ms make the list.