What foods can I eat to help me get a good night's sleep?

There are foods that promote sleep and there are foods that disrupt sleep. The odd sleepless night doesn’t hurt at all, but if you suffer from insomnia regularly your health could be at risk. Sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system and leads to depression, chronic fatigue, heart disease and weight gain.

If you are having problems sleeping, monitor your caffeine intake. The top six sleep disrupters are caffeine, coffee, tea, alcohol, chocolate and sugar. Going to sleep on an empty stomach or a full stomach can disrupt sleep as well.

Reduce all caffeine after 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Turkey, chicken and tuna are good sources of tryptophan. Tryptophan is a chemical that stimulates serotonin, a hormone that helps us sleep. Try natural yoghurt and a few almonds after dinner as a healthy sleep-promoting snack. Besides getting rid of the sleep disrupters, make sure you are eating well over the entire day. A nutritionist will be able to help you uncover deficiencies in your diet, which could affect sleep. Mineral like calcium and magnesium are important for sleep. Iron deficiency could cause restless leg syndrome and hormone imbalances can also create broken sleep.