7 Ways to Use Food and Drink to Improve Your Sleep ...

I love herbal teas and one of the ways to use food and drink to improve your sleep is to drink a herbal tea before you go to bed. Chamomile is my favorite herbal tea and I have a cup every evening for its many soothing properties. When I need a little extra help, Valerian is the herbal tea I turn to. This herbal tea is a little stronger and can help when sleep is an issue.

There has been something of a honey revolution in the last few years, with many people recognizing the multitude of healing benefits of this amber nectar. Honey is a folk remedy and is believed to act as a mild sedative. Stir a spoonful of honey into chamomile tea for maximum soothing impact.

Adding starchy foods to your evening meal can also help sleep. Potatoes, pasta or rice are good choices, but opt for wholemeal varieties of starchy carbs where possible and try to limit the portion size.

Milky malt drinks are a bed-time favorite for some. Horlicks, anyone? It's the sugars in the milk which enable the brain cells to absorb tryptophan from the blood stream, which has been provided by the milk protein. The tryptophan is then converted by the brain into that wonderful chemical called serotonin.

Lying in bed for hours worrying about something you can't put right at that moment is useless. Tossing and turning whilst thinking about the fact that you need to get to sleep just makes matters worse. Try getting up and doing something like reading a magazine, until you feel ready to attempt going to sleep again. Sometimes a snack can help. Don't indulge in anything too heavy, but something like an oatmeal biscuit or a piece of bread may be able to help.

Make sure you avoid stimulants late at night for a restful sleep. This includes coffee, chocolate, tea and cola drinks. Try and limit your consumption of these throughout the day too, as it can still have an affect on your sleep pattern if you consume them late into the afternoon. I don't have any caffeine after 2pm as it does affect my sleep.

Rich, heavy, greasy or spicy meals consumed late at night will also affect your ability to sleep soundly. Your digestive system will be working so hard to break these foods down, that sleeping well will be tricky. Keep your evening meals light with a small portion of starchy foods to help you have a restful sleep.

It's no surprise that in a hyper-connected world full of so many pressures, getting that precious sleep at night can be a challenge for some people. What do you recommend for having a restful night's sleep and what do you use when you need a helping hand?