For many seniors, sleeping well is an unfulfilled dream. Not only do they have trouble falling asleep, but they wake up after only a few hours of sleep.
With sleepless nights or a few hours, the fatigue they feel during the day is so great that they are unable to carry out daily activities, such as driving or concentrating on what they are doing.
Half of the people who see a doctor for insomnia or interrupted sleep end up taking sleeping pills. In addition to being unnecessary, these medications are not recommended because they are addictive.
Recently, studies have shown that in addition to the problem of addiction, sleeping pills can cause side effects that make the situation worse: worsening of sleep apnea, nightmares, fatigue during the day and “rebound insomnia” when sleep ends. effect of the medication.
For these reasons, it is recommended to take a series of natural measures such as respecting bedtime, exercising and bathing, avoiding coffee, cigarettes and visual stimuli (such as watching television) before bedtime, etc.
But what is sometimes overlooked is that diet plays a critical role in getting a good night’s sleep. Our sleep is regulated by a hormone called melatonin, so the foods that are involved in the production of this hormone will also affect our sleep. Interested in learning more about those foods so you can help your elderly relatives sleep better at night? You’ve reached the right place – today we bring you a list of foods that can help fight insomnia.
Almonds
Almonds are superfoods that, thanks to their high level of minerals, especially magnesium, help to have a restful sleep. A recent study shows that the level of magnesium in our diet is directly related to the quality of sleep.
So, a handful of almonds to eat before bed, in addition to being delicious, can be a very healthy snack.
Nuts
Due to their high tryptophan content, nuts have long been known to induce sleepiness. They also stimulate the production of melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone. Therefore, another exquisite option could be a serving of nuts after dinner.
Cheese or Milk
The custom of giving a glass of milk to children who fail to sleep well has a scientific explanation. The calcium in dairy products helps produce melatonin and regulate restful sleep. You can give your elders a piece of cheese with dinner if you prefer.
Salad
A salad is good for many reasons, but if it is made with lettuce leaves, it will also be powerful for sleep. The leaves contain an alkaloid known by its Latin name: “lactucarium” which is a sedative that produces a feeling of relaxation and sleepiness. The sedative properties of lettuce, combined with a good bedtime routine, can do wonders for normalizing sleep.
Nachos
These snacks that are small fried corn tortillas are not considered healthy at all, they have a strong action to induce sleep. Nachos have a very high glycemic index, which means that when we eat them, our blood sugar rises very quickly, ending with a major energy drop that leaves us ready to fall asleep. Of course, they are totally contraindicated for diabetics.
Salmon
Salmon, as well as those known as “blue fish”, is a very healthy food that not only serves to reduce blood pressure, but is also a very useful food to fight insomnia. Salmon is high in vitamin B6 which, through tryptophan, acts on the pineal gland of the brain by producing melatonin, known as the natural hormone that regulates sleep at night and wakefulness during the day. So a good dinner might be a serving of baked or grilled salmon with a lettuce salad… healthy and relaxing.
There you go! With this list, you should be able to improve your elders’ sleep. Want to have more options? Come back to check the second part of our article. Until then, tell us more about your elders and what kind of diet do you usually give them.
