Good Day Guide

Eat To Sleep

Diet can play a big part in helping you drop off with ease and wake up feeling refreshed.

Some foods can be great for sleep and there are others that you should try to avoid if you're looking to get a good night's kip...

Dreamy diets

• Complex carbohydrates help to boost serotonin (your body's "feel-good" chemical) which in turn helps to promote sleep. Found in foods like wholemeal bread and wholemeal pasta.
• Wholegrain foods such as brown rice, whole grains and oats not only contain complex carbohydrates but have a soothing affect on the mind and nervous system too.
• Warm milky drinks, one of the oldest and best remedies for sleeplessness, work because milk is converted into serotonin in the body which helps bring on sleep. Try a mug of Horlicks about an hour before bed.
• Lettuce is another old favourite for helping sleep, along with nuts and poultry which have also been found to aid good sleep.

So you could try a wholemeal pasta or rice dish for your evening meal if you're after a good night's sleep or, if you fancy something a little bit lighter, a peanut butter or turkey and lettuce sandwich on wholemeal bread should do the trick just as well. And don't forget to finish it off with a hot milky drink, like Horlicks, before you go to bed!

Nightmarish nibbles

• Caffeine, found in tea, coffee, some fizzy drinks and even some hot chocolate drinks. It's a stimulant and will stay in your body for around four hours, so avoid it in the four hours before you go to bed.
• Chocolate. It also contains caffeine so simply avoid it in the evening (that's not to say you can't indulge earlier in the day of course) and choose a non-caffeinated sweet hot drink like Horlicks instead.
• Alcohol. Although it might make you feel sleepy at first, it will often cause disrupted sleep as it messes up your serotonin levels (that feel-good hormone again that helps you sleep).
• Rich and spicy foods, such as curries for example, which can causes digestive problems and keep you up at night.
• Chinese takeaways. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is an ingredient often used in Chinese dishes which can act as a stimulant and disrupt sleep.

Don't worry, you don't have to give up these foods and drink altogether, you could simply try limiting them to occasional treats or for earlier in the day.

Going to bed feeling too full or on an empty stomach can also hinder sleep so you could try having a filling meal in the early evening and then a light snack or a nourishing hot drink later if you feel peckish.

Weight and sleep

Consider your diet - eating too much food, particularly high fat foods, could mean that you are eating more calories than you need. If you find yourself eating more calories than you use up, you'll find yourself gaining weight, which could in turn cause sleep problems

There are lots of factors involved in weight loss and obesity and the best thing is to have an all-round healthy lifestyle. Sleep can form an important part of a healthy lifestyle however and there are strong links between poor sleep and obesity so it makes sense to maintain a healthy weight if you want to enjoy quality sleep.

You can do this by choosing a healthy, balanced diet low in fat and rich in carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables and enjoying treats in moderation, as well as by taking regular physical activity. Check out fighting fit for more on exercise and sleep.

By making a few small changes to your diet you could be enjoying peaceful slumbering in no time!