We all know the age old wives tale that you shouldn’t consume anything before bedtime. Well, that’s wrong. Wrong, wrong, completely wrong. If you’re hungry, eat something, even if you’re about to go to Snoozetown. And even if you’re not super thirsty, there are benefits to drinking water and other beverages before bed. Just stay away from caffeine and alcohol… and probably cheeseburgers.
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Water You need to replace all the fluids you lost over the day, and the best way to do that is to drink a glass of water. It naturally balances your vitamins and minerals as well as cleanses the body of toxins. Oh, also, it’s a calorie-burner, too.
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Herbal Tea If you have trouble falling asleep, valerian root tea can help. And although part of herbal tea’s sedative effects are mental (making and drinking a cup of tea is relaxing, so it’ll get you in the mood for sleep), valerian is the only tea that has scientifically proven sedative qualities. Just don’t fret if you don’t see the effects right away - it may take a couple weeks to kick in.
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Tart Cherry Juice Cherries are rich in melatonin, the substance your body produces to signal your brain it’s time to sleep. So eating or drinking them acts as a fantastic natural sedative. Studies have shown that adults who drink two glasses of tart cherry juice before bed sleep on average 40 minutes longer and take less naps than those who forego the drink. Just make sure you're drinking tart cherry juice, not the super sweet stuff.
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Warm Milk Dairy is rich in tryptophan, the amino acid found in turkey that contributes to the post-Thanksgiving drowsy feeling. Tryptophan helps aid in the production of melatonin, which causes you to fall asleep faster. Why drink heat the milk? The same reason we drink warm tea -- it relaxes us and puts us in the mindset of going to sleep.
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Coconut Water This one’s great if you’ve been sick or you’re just feeling dehydrated. Coconut water is naturally full of electrolytes, and contains potassium and b-vitamins, making it the perfect before bed drink. Just don’t drink too much, as the drink does contain some natural sugars.
Read more great sleep tips read the full article - 5 Tips to Sleep Better and More Naturally
