Struggling to get enough good quality sleep at night?
Numerous studies have established that there are more than 70 million Americans suffering from sleep disorders.
Research has also established that between 20% and 40% of all adults suffer from sleep problems every year with insomnia as the most common disorder.
Without quality sleep, chances are high that you may develop health problems, weight problems, energy deficiency and even emotional imbalance. One important determining factor of the quality of sleep that you get every night is the food and the drinks that you take in the course of the day. Drinking caffeinated drinks, for example, has been associated with bad sleep.
However, there are some other healthy drinks which could aid in enhancing your sleep.
Here are the top five healthy drinks for better sleep that you should definitely know about.
1. Tart Cherry Juice
Tart Cherries are rich in melatonin which is known to trigger longer and better sleep. In fact, studies have established that higher melatonin levels in the body subsequently lead to a shorter time falling asleep.
In addition to that, drinking tart cherry juice has also been known to improve one’s alertness during the day.
One study found that drinking at least 8 ounces of tart cherry juice twice a day (in the morning and two hours before sleeping) significantly reduced the chances of insomnia.
2. Warm Milk
Milk (as well as other dairy products such as yogurt and cheese) is rich in an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan aids in the production of serotonin and melatonin both of which are crucial in calming you down and inducing better sleep.
Studies have also shown that milk contains calcium which also helps to relax the body and also aids in the production of melatonin. This makes milk one of the best drinks to treat sleep disorders.
3. Decaffeinated Green Tea
People have been consuming tea as a medicine and beverage for thousands of years. Green tea contains an amino acid called L-theanine. L-theanine is important in getting the body into a relaxed state and in a better mood.
While this will not necessarily make you sleep longer, it will greatly improve the quality of your sleep and even help to eliminate the stress.
For better results, decaffeinated green tea would be best as caffeine has been known to cause sleeping problems.
4. Pure Coconut water
There are several things that make coconut water a suitable drink to treat sleep disorders. Firstly, it contains potassium and magnesium which are both considered natural relaxants.
Studies have also proven that magnesium aids in reducing Cortisol levels in the body. Cortisol is also known as the ‘stress hormone’ and is a contributing factor for the lack of sleep. Magnesium also aids in activating the receptive functions of GABA; GABA is an essential neurotransmitter which helps to induce sleep.
Coconut water also contains B vitamins which are useful in reducing stress and calming you down hence triggering better sleep. Aside from that, coconut water had many other health benefits including reduced blood pressure and enhanced blood circulation hence cementing its reputation as a healthy drink for better sleep.
5. Banana Smoothie
Banana smoothies are delicious but also surprisingly beneficial in treating sleep disorders. The reason is that bananas are rich in magnesium and potassium both of which are natural relaxants and help in calming down over-stressed muscles in the body.
To add on that, Bananas also contain tryptophan which also relaxes and helps in the production of serotonin and melatonin both of which will help you achieve better sleep quality.
You can make a simple banana smoothie by blending one banana with a cup of soy milk or almond milk. You could also add a tablespoon of almond butter into the mixture to give it the extra edge.