PureFussTeam
In order to keep your body healthy so it can function at a high capacity, you need adequate sleep. According to a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a third of Americans are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society recommends that adults between the ages of 18-60 should get at least seven hours of sleep. According to an article published on PubMed, researchers conducted a study that aimed to find out the consequences of sleep deprivation.
For the studies, healthy adults were subjected to limited hours of sleep; randomized into 4, 6, and 8 hours. Caffeine usage was carefully restricted as well as their sleep and wake time. After subjecting the participants to 14 days of sleep restriction, researchers found that when given tests to complete, those with only 4 or 6 hours of sleep scored significantly lower. The tests focused on attention, cognitive thought, working memory, mood and reaction time.
With that said, getting adequate sleep can depend on many variables, with food being one of them. What you consume before going to bed can either aid your sleep or hinder it. Below you will find the best bedtime snacks that will help you sleep and provide optimal health benefits as well.
1. Almonds. According to the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, almonds are an excellent source of magnesium, providing you with 19% of your daily needs with just one ounce. The journal also mentions that almost 50% of older adults are suffering from insomnia. In addition, researchers believe that the natural N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) antagonist and GABA agonist, Mg2+ play an essential role in the regulation of sleep. So a study was conducted to determine if magnesium could help improve insomnia in the elderly. 46 elderly subjects were chosen and were either given 500 mg of magnesium or a placebo daily for 8 weeks. Activity and sleep logs were completed in order to monitor the efficiency. After the 8 weeks, results showed that the group supplementing with magnesium had a statistically increased sleep time.
