10 Best Foods You Need to Sleep Well

A good night sleep is one of the most important factor behind your health and wellness. Any person who wishes to be attentive, emotionally balanced, and mentally alert and sharp, needs to ensure a good sleep routine to calm the brain. Getting a good sleep at night is essential to support the body's healing and recovery processes.

Serotonin and Melatonin are the hormones which produce calming and relaxing effects on the brain. Tryptophan, an amino acid, acts as a precursor to both these hormones, and the good part is, it is present in some foods. Consuming Tryptophan containing foods along with carbs can boost up the availability of these hormones in the body.

Here is a list of 10 best foods that can get you a good night's sleep:

1. Dairy Products (such as Milk, cheese, paneer or cottage cheese): A cup of warm milk, especially clubbed with a banana, or a cheese or paneer sandwich made using brown bread, or a paneer paratha are the foods that you can consume for a good sleep at night. These foods contain tryptophan as well as carbs which soothe your brain muscles and invite a sound sleep.
2. Nuts: Hazelnuts and peanuts, when consumed in roasted form, can get you a good sleep. Even a peanut butter sandwich can prove to be a good bedtime snack.
3. Eggs: Scrambled eggs with a slice of brown bread can keep you full until next morning. Besides, these foods contain enough tryptophan to induce sleep and to add to the overall health.
4. Whole Grains/Cereals: These food options contain a good combo of tryptophan and carbs. Try having some wheat flakes with milk if you are facing difficulties with sleep. 
5. Seafood: You can have a grilled fish with some rice or a prawn salad for your dinner, if sleep has been troubling you quite regularly.
6. Meats: Lean meats have special soothing effects on your nerves. The foods are warm to eat and can help you get a relaxed feeling, which in turn would give you a good sleep.
7. Rice with Beans/Lentils: This food choice denotes a perfect combination of carbs and tryptophan, and hence can induce a good sleep.
8. Soybean/Tofu/Soy Milk: Soy milk contains more tryptophan in comparison to the regular milk. Hence, it can help you sleep better. Soymilk with cereals would make a good bed time snack.
9. Oats: Oats and oatmeal help in increasing the insulin secretion in the body, facilitating the transport of tryptophan to the brain. Have it with soy milk for a better effect.
10. Cookies: Cookies prepared with different nuts/oats/oatmeal taken along with a glass of milk, has an equally beneficial effect on sleep.

Knowing about the sleep inducing foods and eating them won't help much if you continue the consumption of "sleep disturbing" foods. You need to cut down on the consumption of caffeine - which appears in soft drinks, energy drinks, coffee, chocolate and tea - and other items like alcohol, cigarettes and even spicy foods. These foods can keep you awake all night long and you might have to spend the entire night hearing your roommate's or partner's snores!