Doctor explained which foods are beneficial to eat at night

Healthy sleep is the key to good well-being and mood for the next day. To ensure quality rest, you need not only to maintain a routine but also to eat properly before bedtime, said gastroenterologist and medical sciences candidate Ekaterina Kashukh.

According to her, for a person to fall asleep peacefully, certain hormones in the body must decrease, such as cortisol, while the levels of others - primarily melatonin - must increase.

- Therefore, foods that contain either melatonin itself or substances that promote its production will be beneficial for healthy sleep, - the doctor clarified.

She reminded that natural sources of melatonin include cherries and cherry juice, bananas, strawberries, apricots, broccoli, pomegranates, mint, rice, and tomatoes. This hormone is also found in eggs, nuts (predominantly walnuts and almonds - note "VM"), grapes, and cabbage.

Additionally, the body needs the amino acid tryptophan to produce melatonin. It is found in large quantities in hard cheeses, cottage cheese, oats, milk, yogurt, soy, cocoa, and whole grain bread. For this reason, oatmeal with warm milk can be an excellent late snack.

- Some microelements, especially magnesium, also contribute to healthy sleep. It helps improve sleep quality: allows you to fall asleep faster and wake up less during the night. A deficiency of this mineral, on the contrary, can lead to insomnia, - explained the gastroenterologist.

This microelement can be obtained from cashews, sesame and sunflower seeds, as well as almonds. According to Kashukh, 50 grams of cashews provide half of the daily requirement of magnesium.

Herbal teas, especially chamomile, have a positive effect on sleep. It contains apigenin - an antioxidant with a mild sedative effect. Mint tea will also help calm the nervous system.

The gastroenterologist emphasized that changes in diet are not a panacea for insomnia, but they can significantly improve sleep quality, especially if problems are related to fatigue or stress, reports Life.ru.