Sleep tight with snooze foods

There's some science behind the old wives' tale that a glass of warm milk can help you sleep better at night. Researchers claim that what you eat is directly related to how you sleep.

Researchers say, "The chemical Tryptophan present in certain foods, is the raw material that the brain uses to release sleep-inducing hormones - Serotonin and Melatonin. Adequate serotonin levels promote deep, restorative sleep."

Tryptophan is one of the 20 standard amino acids, as well as an essential amino acid in the human diet.

Tryptophan is the precursor to Serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain, which is deficient in depression, and naturally enhances sleep.

The wonderful effect that tryptophan has on both mood and sleep may be because the body naturally converts tryptophan into both serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin levels affects mood and melatonin affects sleep.

Tryptophan is a routine constituent of most protein-based foods or dietary proteins.

Foods like milk, yogurt, banana, cherries, fish, nuts, flaxseed, oatmeal, honey, turkey, soy, chamomile tea, wholewheat bread, and leafy vegetables, are rich in Tryptophan.

Also, magnesium (found in wheat bran, almonds, cashews, kelp and brewer's yeast) and vitamin B6 and B12 (found in wheat germ, sunflower seeds and oil, and tuna) are sleepfriendly nutrients and should be incorporated in a day's meal.