Curing Insomia with Nutrition

Insomnia feels worst when you've got to get to work the next day. What could be more awful than lying awake, counting the hours and knowing the alarm doesn't care if you've had enough sleep! And hey-neither does your boss! So, what can you do to handle insomnia when it happens and maximize the amount of sleep you're getting? Start by thinking about what you're putting into your body. The wrong foods --or the right foods at the right time--can change your body chemistry, make you uncomfortable and keep you awake. Curing your insomnia may be as simple as changing your diet! Read these six tips for eating (and drinking) to support a good night's sleep.

Cut back on the coffee. The last thing you want to hear when you haven't been sleeping is that coffee will give you insomnia. Nobody's saying to stop drinking your morning pot of java, but if you continue drinking it all day, your body is going to be high on caffeine-for awhile. Here's the rub: you will still feel exhausted and you won't be able to sleep. You'll be twitchy and mean and jonesin' for more coffee. So, when noon hits, switch drinks. Try mineral water or club soda. And never have caffeine with or after dinner. Experiment with herbal teas (also called tisanes) or drink vegetable juices, which will also help support your immune system.

Do not substitute tea or soft drinks for coffee, as they also contain caffeine. Soft drinks have the added danger of literally softening your bones and teeth while adding thousands of calories to your dietary intake. Have a V-8 (or some no-name equivalent, but make sure there's no added sugar, even in the name brand. They've been sneaking it in.) Which brings me to...

Watch your sugar intake, especially later in the day. Sugar also contributes to sleeplessness, in two ways. If you eat (or drink) a lot of sugar, your "energy" will increase, often in the form of edginess or anxiety. And when you stop ingesting a lot of sugar, your body will go into withdrawal, which also causes insomnia as your body becomes hypoglycemic. Your body literally wakes you up demanding food because your blood sugar has rebounded, dropping to dangerously low levels. If you wake from a sound sleep feeling nauseous, headachy and miserable, it may be your body's way of telling you not to eat a tub of ice cream before bed. (Read my article on hypoglycemia.) If you've had a sugar overload and then can't sleep, drink a lot of water, make sure you've had something healthy to eat-10-20 nuts are good-and then see how you feel. Addressing late-night hypoglycemia can often solve problems with insomnia.

Skip the strong nightcap. Liquor is a great one for waking you up in the wee hours of the morning. Alcohol depresses your Central Nervous System (CNS), which makes you sleepy-at first. When the effects of the alcohol start to wear off, the change in your blood alcohol, combined with the sugar crash from the carbohydrates in liquor being metabolized, will wake you up. A little glass of wine probably won't hurt, but a Scotch-and-soda or three can create wakefulness some hours later.

Eat less at night. Eating a heavy dinner can cause insomnia as your body tries to digest a big load of food. If you feel logy, heavy or like you've eaten a brick, cut back on your evening meal. Skip dessert and avoid big pieces of meat or high-fat foods. Take a digestive enzyme to help your body process what you eat. And try to eat your evening meal early enough that you've got a few hours for digesting before you lie down to sleep.

But-- don't go to bed hungry! Going to bed on an empty stomach can ruin your sleep, too! A completely empty stomach will certainly keep you awake. If you've been waking up in the middle of the night dying for a cookie, try a light pre-bed snack; some almonds, fruit or yogurt. Cheese and crackers make a good snack. Keep the sugar low and don't pig out; but don't go to bed hungry and expect to get a decent night's sleep.

Try an ancient cure. It's an old remedy, but a good one. Warming milk helps release tryptophan, an amino acid that can help you fall asleep. If you don't care for warm milk on its own, try adding a little stevia, an herb ideal for sugar-free, non-chemical sweetening, and a splash of vanilla or almond extract. Stir with a cinnamon stick or sprinkle your drink with freshly-grated nutmeg and you have a delicious night-time beverage that won't jazz you with caffeine or blast you awake with sugar. Aside from the chemistry that works in your favor, there's something primal about the flavor of warm, spiced milk, that makes many of us feel cozy, relaxed and --yes--even downright sleepy.