Have you ever wondered what the world would be like without sleep? I’m sure your guess is as good as mine.
Surely you will have large bags under your eyes, a bad mood and both physical and mental lethargy would be the order of the day.
Sleep is one of nature’s gifts to humanity, it provides a way for the body to rest and rejuvenate.
It helps relieve the body and mind of stress and in the process regulates the body’s blood pressure, maintains its pH and blood sugar levels.
If you don’t get enough sleep, you are more likely to experience increased fatigue, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels, and elevated body acidity.
You will also find it difficult to perform simple activities and fully concentrate while doing your daily tasks.
When you have difficulty sleeping at night, this condition is known as insomnia and it is believed that in the United States, one in ten adults suffers from this condition, as stated by the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine in conclusion. from a series of studies carried out.
So what causes insomnia?
Some of the main causes of insomnia include;
• Physical and mental stress.
• Diet habits, if you eat a lot of processed and refined foods, caffeine, polyunsaturated fats, and gluten. You may find it difficult to sleep at night.
• Lifestyle choices, cigarette smoking, heavy drinking, and eating a heavy meal late into the night can affect your sleep.
How to fight insomnia
You can fight insomnia by eating a balanced diet and not eating refined and processed foods frequently.
Stop drinking and smoking excessively, also stop drinking caffeine.
There are 5 superfoods you can start eating today to curb your insomnia worries and also improve the quality of your sleep.
Here are the 5 superfoods:
1. Almonds
Once your stress can be reduced, your body will relax and eventually you will be able to get some sleep. Almonds are rich in magnesium, which will relieve you of stress and promote good sleep.
2. Oats
Oatmeal is known to treat insomnia and this is because it is rich in two important minerals that are known to promote sleep by relaxing the muscles of the body and these minerals include potassium and magnesium.
3. Banana
Bananas are not just a tasty fruit, but they are rich in two magical stress relieving minerals, magnesium and potassium. Bananas also have tryptophan, which is a neurotransmitter that helps control and regulate your ability to sleep in a similar way to melatonin and serotonin, which are neurotransmitters released by the brain.
4. Valerian root
This plant has very powerful sedative and anxiolytic properties. It was very popular in ancient Greece and Rome and tea made from the plant was used to help people fall asleep. It is especially helpful for women who have trouble sleeping after menopause.
5. Cherries
There have been several studies that have shown that cherries are effective in promoting sleep. In December 2012, the European Journal of Nutrition reported the findings of a study involving some subjects who were given cherry juice for a full week. According to the magazine, people who received the juice had high levels of melatonin in their urine and, as a consequence, their sleep quality improved significantly.