Foods that Promote Sleep

Have you seen the famous Seinfeld episode where turkey and wine induce sleep for an unsuspecting girlfriend of Jerry's? Even George Costanza gets into the act--the young woman owns a plethora of antique toys just begging for George and Jerry to play. When they notice an EZ Bake oven on the shelves, Elaine gets into the act, with a five liter box of wine in tow. The three agree that the turkey's tryptophan is the precurser for a long nap while the gang plays. It's probably not the most ethical of ruses; however, the Seinfeld cast ended their popular series in jail for similar escapades. They never were motivated by Emily Post's Guide to Etiquette! What are the key foods for inducing a nap? Having lived in Italy for 5 years, I adopted the national pastime of their siesta with ease. Let's take a deeper look into the realm of sleep-inducing foods and the myth of the turkey sedative. What are the foods that promote sleep?

According to the website Environmental Health and Safety Online (EHSO,) a research tool for Environmental Health Service (EHS) professionals, turkey is rarely the sole guilty party in your Thanksgiving Day stupor. Check out my links for their informative series of webpages. EHSO specifies that unless you have a stomach empty of all protein, your quest for sleeping quarters is rooted in other consumable items. Throughout, they point to alcoholic beverages as a prime culprit, but also note that it's the cumulative effect of a great amount of heavy carbohydrate-rich food that results in the dinner dishes waiting, and the boys napping during the big game.

Personally speaking, our family gradually moved the big turkey dinner to lunch on Thanksgiving Day, just to capitalize on the assocated nap. In fact, most of our holiday meals are served between noon and 3 p.m., allowing for a peaceful slumber afterwards. The leftovers make a handy supper, and everyone seems to appreciate a few hours to help digest the larger feast meals. So far as the turkey inducing sleep, I've found that I sleep just as soundly after my Easter ham (or spring lamb) dinner and am always snoozing by late afternoon of the traditional Corned Beef and Brisket or Irish Stew served for the upcoming Saint Patrick's Day holiday. For New Years Eve, we eat more sparsely, sticking to light appetizers all evening. We're the older crowd (starting this year, EVERYONE is over 50, save our teenaged son) and we need all the help we can get staying awake, even until midnight! While this article points to certain foods, I'd like to add that a glass (or two) of wine with your meal pack the additional whallop to make that sleep a good one! In the case of New Years, try Rum and Cokes (in moderation) for the opposite effect. Most websites and doctors argue that large amounts of alcohol will put you to sleep, but it's not a productive or healthy way to go.

The EHSO and other professionals hint that it's actually simple carbohydrates and simple sugars at fault when you're forced to finish the afternoon in the horizontal position. Apparently, these foods trigger the output of insulin and it's this physiological response that results in a sleepy mindset and post-meal fog. For holiday meals, I've found that its the mashed potatoes and peacan (or sweet potato) pie that send me off to Dreamworld best. When I don't have time to nap, I avoid them. But sometimes, after a bad night of sleep, I'll actually dig out a leftover bowl of mashed potatoes and the result is obvious: I'm suddenly able to recover that sleep deprivation with ease. My big chore is getting my husband to agree to "mind the shop" for the late afternoon shift in the tourist season. Believe it or not, we actually argue over who gets the early hours in the store. Both of us crave that afternoon nap!

Other times, when I am awake at night, I've found that a bowl of soup with bread helps soothe my agitated state. Good home made noodles or the little meatballs in Italian wedding soup seem to work best for me. A nice large dinner roll or chunk of Italian bread are essential to the mix. The diet people counsel avoiding food at bedtime. Since I avoid sleeping pills and tranquilizers, this natural antidote seems to do the trick. I've also used a portion of cooked tortellini in a chicken broth for best results. You can find a great frozen tortellini via Schwan's Home delivery service if you live in a remote area like I do! I don't recommend drinking wine in the middle of the night, but try some Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea for similar results. Be sure to limit your overall liquid to avoid that 3 a.m. bathroom wake-up call!

Speaking of pasta, I find that particular food source a great relaxer at any time of the day. I've even solved family squabbles with a big hearty meal of angel hair or rigatoni noodles for dinner. It's a soothing comfort meal, and also results in everyone hitting the sack in a good mood afterwards. At home, we tend to favor a tomato based sauce with a few small (optional) meatballs. Try to avoid spicy sausages in your pasta sauce. Back in Italy, I found the locals in my area (the province of Puglia/Apulia) just love to walk around in the area of the downtown square or along the beachfront sidewalks after a big traditional dinner. This is much, much healthier than heading straight for bed! The Mediterranean lifestyle is deemed much healthier than our own. Their southern citizenry seem happy, productive, fit and friendly. Maybe part of their happiness has to do with the fact that they're well-rested. As Americans, we might benefit from adopting some of their meal plans, pedestrian walks, and overall sleep habits. An extra afternoon nap is good for the digestive tract, restful, and motivating for the evening's adventures. Unfortunately, you don't see many people on this side of the pond, north of the border, taking a siesta or nap break after a big luncheon. Of course the lines at the pyschiatrists' offices here are MUCH longer than in southern Italy and anti-stress strategies are a huge industry in the US. Maybe we need to learn from our more cosmopolitan neighbors across the pond!

If you're having trouble sleeping in general, we've explored some good foods and an exercise option to send you on your way. Of equal importance are some things to avoid if you're having trouble sleeping. Caffeinated beverages are a big problem for the sleepless. Generally speaking, coffee should be taken in moderation. Avoid it after lunch. During my pregnancy, I was limited to 1-2 cups. In fact, I found I slept better overall by avoiding excessive amounts of coffee. I limit myself to those same two cups of Joe, and I decline coffee after about 1 p.m., except in unusual circumstances. Usually, these exceptions comes back to haunt me when I toss and turn after a full day. Similarly, tea can contain caffeine, so try out some of the herbal brands. Otherwise, stick to one of the options with less caffeine. such as green tea. In researching this article, I found that American teas (on average) contain 20 milligrams less caffeine than imported blends. Power and energy drinks, as well as highly caffeinated sodas should be avoided as well.

Most actual food groups are okay for inducing sleep, and carbohydrates combined with a tryptophan-laden food (meats, eggs, ice cream, whole grains, etc...) are best. Many of the foods to avoid contain chocolate or coffee as an additive. Chocolate actually DOES contain tryptophan, but if you have problems with the caffeine, avoid it. Citrus fruits can cause acid reflux for some people, so you might try avoiding oranges and grapefruits. My last advice is to forego the watermelon in great quantities. It's the PEFECT summer evening desert, but you'll find yourself up and down all night after consuming a big portion of watermelon. I usually make that same mistake every season, but it's worth it! In closing, I'd like to point out that insomnia is tied to obesity and weight gain. Hard to believe it, but in some cases, a carb-rich pasta dinner might actually be the key to weight loss, Try to incorporate the moderate exercise clause if you're concerned about gaining weight. Good luck with your sleep-inducing diet, and pleasant dreams!