What To Eat When You Can't Sleep

Insomnia has many causes including stress, depression, over excitement, overeating too late too close to bedtime and jet lag. Another cause may be just plain old nosiness, being afraid you'll miss something. But I don't know if that's scientific enough to be an "on the record" cause.

If you're one of the many people who suffer from insomnia, you know how hard it is to fall asleep and stay asleep. What you may not know is what happens as a result of you not being able to sleep. Some common complications of insomnia are developing psychiatric problems, taking unnecessary risks, traffic accidents, developing diabetes and also hypertension.

Also as an insomnia sufferer, you've probably tried different things in hopes of finding a remedy. Help is on the way. Today's post is all about foods you can eat that are supposed to be solutions for insomnia.

Just what exactly can you eat that will send you on a roundtrip (yes roundtrip...one way would mean you're dead) journey to "LaLa Land"? According to this list found on Healing Food Reference, the foods that are terrific for calling the hogs are:

• Wheat
• Mulberries
• Zucchini
• Kava
• Chia seeds
• Oysters (hmm now I thought oysters were an aphrodisiac too...)
  
• Pumpkin
• Lettuce
• Oats
• Barley

If you're surprised that turkey didn't make the list since it contains L-tryptophan, don't be. Don't know what L-tryptophan is? It's an amino acid known to have a sleep inducing effect. Don't be surprised because turkey also includes other amino acids that somewhat counteract tryptophan's effect. If you're still skeptical and thinking that you know you feel lethargic on Thanksgiving after eating your delicious helping of turkey, keep in mind that Thanksgiving is normally a carbohydrate, fat filled feast. That certainly contributes to a little sheep jumping over the fence action.

Ok, soon to be sleepy heads, grab a couple slices of Zucchini Nut Bread, Oat Barley Soup or Pumpkin Dip and see how long it takes before you're watching the back of your eyelids. Ahhh, sleep at last, sleep at last, thank God Almighty, sleep at last!