Best Bedtime Snacks To Ensure A Good Night’s Sleep

After a big lunch at work you have trouble keeping your eyes open, but when it’s time for bed, you’re wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. Worse, supper was hours away and now you’re ravenous. But you’ve been told it’s bad to eat before sleep. What to do?

Well, it’s no good going to bed hungry, because you’ll be tossing and turning rather than being in a relaxed state fit for sleep. It’s best not to stuff yourself minutes before you plop into the horizontal position. A light snack will do the trick, as long as you have it an hour or so before your bed-time. But why, and what constitutes a good bed-time snack?

In order for us to sleep, our bodies need to produce sleep hormones. Most people already know that melatonin is a sleep hormone that helps regulate our sleep cycle, and many occasionally supplement with it for, say, jet-lag. However, not everyone knows that the neurotransmitter, serotonin, is also a melatonin precursor—i.e. melatonin is made within the pineal gland from serotonin. That makes serotonin as important as melatonin when it comes to sleep.

As a neurotransmitter, serotonin is responsible for many other important functions, e.g. regulating appetite and mood. Its ability to calm down the nervous system and induce a relaxed state of mind has earned serotonin the moniker of ‘the feel-good hormone‘. When it comes to sleep, we need both serotonin and melatonin in optimal amounts.

Research has shown that the essential amino-acid, tryptophan, is a serotonin precursor. It follows then that a bedtime snack high in tryptophan will enable your body to produce more serotonin which in itself produces a calming and relaxing effect as well as allowing more melatonin production. The result of increased serotonin and melatonin--a more optimal sleep cycle.

While small amounts of tryptophan are naturally present in most protein foods and some complex carbohydrates like cereals and grains, there are some which contain a lot more tryptophan than others. In addition, some foods (e.g. oatmeal, cherries) naturally contain small amounts of melatonin. Also, supporting nutrients such as calcium and complex carbohydrates help the tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier. Bear in mind that it takes an hour or so for the tryptophan to work, so don’t expect an instantaneous effect.

Top dietary sources of tryptophan include:
§ Dairy produce, e.g. milk, yogurt, cheese
§ Bananas
§ Oatmeal
§ Poultry, e.g. turkey
§ Peanuts

Ideally, a bedtime snack should be:
§ light (it’s a snack, not a meal)
§ taken about 45min to 1 hour before bedtime
§ a mixture of mostly complex carbohydrates plus a small amount of tryptophan-rich protein

§ warm glass of milk +/- banana
§ milk and banana on oatmeal (small bowl)
§ peanut butter on wholegrain toast (one piece)
§ peanut butter on banana (medium-size)
§ yogurt (small carton) with chopped peanuts sprinkled on top
§ cheese on wholegrain crackers (one ounce cheese on 4-6 crackers)
§ turkey slice on wholegrain bread (open-face sandwich)
§ chamomile tea

§ stimulants such as caffeine (tea, coffee), sugar (use honey instead to sweeten cereal if required), alcohol
§ anything hard for the body to digest (anything high in fat, too much protein)
§ anything that can cause heartburn (anything spicy, too big a portion)
· anything too sugary (sugar highs and lows interfere with sleep)

(A)
A small amount (3%) converted into niacin (vitamin B3) in the liver, helps prevents symptoms of niacin deficiency, eg. skin infections, generalized weakness, muscle weakness, digestive issues, lack of appetite, Irritability, headache, memory difficulties.

(B)
As a precursor for serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate appetite, sleep patterns and mood
--insomnia
--emotional problems e.g. depression, anxiety, irritability, impatience, impulsiveness, inability to concentrate
--regulate appetite and weight (overeating and/or carbohydrate cravings)

(C)

--essential for blood clotting
--prevents early aging (eyes, hair, teeth)
--natural painkiller
--slows rate of starch decomposition, prevents tooth decay

As tryptophan is inefficiently utilized in the body, with a large amount excreted in urine, tryptophan supplements have been used for some time as antidepressants, sleep and weight-loss aids.

Possible uses for tryptophan--(cases strongly correlated with low serotonin neural activity)
--defective impulse control
--obsessive compulsive disorders
--premenstrual dysphoric syndrome
--seasonal affective disorder

Possible uses for tryptophan--(cases correlated with low serotonin neural activity combined with excessive dopaminergic or noradrenergic activity)
--suicidal behaviour
--compulsive gambling
--irrational and dangerous thrill-seeking behaviour
--pyromania (compulsive fire starting)

How to take tryptophan in the form of a supplement:

For each 2000mg of tryptophan., take 100mg of vitamin B6 and 1000mg of vitamin C, and ensure high quality protein foods in diet.

Low-dose melatonin (0.5 to 1mg) plus tryptophan (500-1500mg) for serious insomnia

So there you have it, the whys and wherefores of bedtime snacking, and a variety of healthy and wholesome bedtime snacks that can help ensure a good night's sleep by maximizing the production of sleep hormones in your body.

Don't forget: there are many factors contributing to insomnia, and you must be aware of the many causes to be able to eradicate them, and also be willing to adopt lifestyle choices that will enable you to obtain the best quality sleep possible to ensure that you're alert and active in your daily life. Read my other hubs on sleep for more tips on getting a good night's sleep.

Sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite! Sweet dreams to all of you!