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Foods to help you sleep (stop long thought trains)

S

SevenFour

Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 28, 2005
Messages
24
Well, i know about foods that make you drowsy because of tryptophan like turkey and cottage-cheese, but what about foods to help rest your mind? I always have extremely long "train of thoughts"s while im trying to get to sleep, which can last anything from 45mins - 2hrs (btw this is a normal day, not after taking MDMA or anything).

So anyone got any solutions? I've been drinking herbal teas like lemon balm, passion flower. I've also been eating lettuce (because it contains some natural tranquiliser) but these still have very little effect on my mental alertness.
 
~meditation before going to sleep is an effective way of calming the body and mind.

~maybe yoga or exercising could displace some of the extra energy that your body has.

~one thing to remember your body converts tryptophan to melatonin when no light is reaching the eye. light stops this process so before u go to sleep stay in a dark environment and ull get more sleepy.

~if you really have trouble sleeping try some herbs like valerian, or kava. i luvvv them, they let u reach a deep restful sleep ensuring some kool dreams.
 
Some easy things to do that I've heard (don't know if they are true):

Bannanas. Warm milk obviously. I've been told that vitamin C energizes you so stay away from that. Avoid chocolate since that has caffeine in it. If you drink any coffee or caffeinated drinks you could cut those out completely, even throughout the day.
 
I have the same problem occasionally.
^Meditation definantly helps. I just try and focus on my breathing and totally clear my mind. This is much easier said than done if your mind is racing when you are ready to go to bed.
Also, you could look into 5-HTP.

Hope that helps.
 
potatoes... celery . . . lettuce . . . are all said to contain chemicals that make you sleepy. avoid proteins due to the long time it takes to digest them... they will keep you up and make you thinky. generalla don't eat too late at night, but if hunger keeps you up and unable to get grounded, go for something light. perhaps carbohydrates, they ground you.
 
ssmurphss said:
5-HTP
Click to expand...
5-hydroxytryptophan.
Turkey contains a relatively high concentration of tryptophan, and everyone knows how sleepy you get after a large Thanksgiving feast.. :)
 
Turkey seems to be the most commonly given advice here..although I swear I have never felt tired from eating turkey in my life. I dont get it.
 
when I was young my mum used to allways give me rescue remedy, has anyone heard of that? I have no idea what was in it.
Ha maybe it was just a night cap.
 
^ Yes, I read that sentence about proteins keeping you up, but personally, milk makes me tired. I'm not saying it's guaranteed to work, or that it works for everybody, but hey, it's worth a shot
 
Turkey would seem unlikely to produce an effect as turkey protein have many other competing amino acids that tend to reach the brain faster than tryptophan. Milk could work assuming you don't have allergies or insensitivities. Tryptophan could be purchased over the internet and could help, especially with a simple carbohydrate snack. Valerian is a good herb for insomnia. For me, the timing of the last meal is important. If I eat too early before bed, then my hunger reinforces trains of thoughts. Eating a large meal right before retiring would also be a bad idea (at least 1.5 hours). If your looking at supplementation then perhaps calcium-Magnesium 2:1 might help or ZMA (combination of Zinc Monomethionine, Magnesium Aspartate, and B-6) which works great for me.

Sweet dreams :|
 
I think melatonin is pretty good for falling asleep when thoughts are keeping you awake. Its quite cheap and available at any drug store.

ek
 
Do you have insomnia? How long do you stay in bed before you fall asleep? Do you exercise regularly? Any meditation? How about milk? What about trying to do something extremely boring before going to bed?

I don't think food will be the solution to your massive thoughts.
 
EAZY-PING said:
when I was young my mum used to allways give me rescue remedy, has anyone heard of that? I have no idea what was in it.
Ha maybe it was just a night cap.
Click to expand...


ah, rescue remedy - the multi-purpose bach flower remedy. plenty of "proof-only" scientifically minded people (typically those who will also tell you that homeopathy is all placebo and that there is no energetic push coming from the remedy) will tell you that flower remedies do not work. I believe that they do. different flowers affect our subtle energetic fields in different ways.

I realyl believe rescue remedy works for all states where one needs to be psychologically/emotionalyl rescued... it calms and grounds.
 
Hey, thanks for all the replies guys.

1: Do you have insomnia? 2: How long do you stay in bed before you fall asleep? 3: Do you exercise regularly? 4: Any meditation? 5: How about milk? 6: What about trying to do something extremely boring before going to bed?

I don't think food will be the solution to your massive thoughts.
Click to expand...

1: I don't think so, I don't really know what insomnia is (yes a diagnosis of lack of sleep, but what is the cause? high brain activity? low exercise? etc.)

2: It varies, sometimes it can be 2 hours, sometimes it can be 1, the past 2 nights i have been eating alot of lettuce about 20 mins before going to bed, and i haven't noticed staying awake any longer than 40mins.

3: Hmm, not really, though now that you mention it, i usually play football for about 2 hours on a saturday and saturday is my best night for sleeping i find. (also i stay in alot most days, so i lack vitamin D i guess).

4: No, i don't know how to meditate but i will google it soon.

5: Some nights i drink a small glass of milk, or i have a small amount (about 2 tablespoons) in a mug with lemon balm + passion flower tea.

6: Ok, i can't think of anything at the moment, but i think you should know that i usually go to bed about 10:30pm because i'm bored and there is nothing to do or nobody to speak to.

Thanks peeps.
 
Alrighty. Let's try exercise and sunlight. Around 15-30 minutes of sunlight, depending on your skin tone, and playing a sport or just running. That sounds like it will help you substantially.

Do you sleep soundly through the night, without waking up two or three times in the middle of the night? Do you feel "recharged" after waking up in the morning?
 
sexyanon2 said:
Alrighty. Let's try exercise and sunlight. Around 15-30 minutes of sunlight, depending on your skin tone, and playing a sport or just running. That sounds like it will help you substantially.

Do you sleep soundly through the night, without waking up two or three times in the middle of the night? Do you feel "recharged" after waking up in the morning?
Click to expand...

I don't usually wake up in the night, and if i do its because a dream i had has ended, or because i've drank too much and need the toilet, but i usually get back to sleep pretty quickly after.

Also, i do seem farely recharged when i wake up, but since i do go to bed around 10:30 / 11 (and get to sleep around midnight), and wake up at about 9:30 / 10, that is a good 10hrs sleep, so i suppose i should be recharged.

I have looked into meditation, and the web doesn't seem to help too much. All i can find is stuff you order like aromatherapy, audio tapes etc. Isn't there anything basic like counting in your head or drawing shapes etc?
 
Actually, the greatest reason people report being sleepy after thanksgiving feats is the high amount of carbohydrates being consumed. People usually eat more at meals like this, and the extra calories all take energy to be digested, leaving you a little lower on energy and sleepy. While turkey does contain greater than average tryptophan, tryptophan does not cross the blood-brain barrier as rapidly as other things, so it usually takes a little while for it to be assimilated.

Suggestions to quiet the mind:
* Meditation
* Yoga
* NO alcohol. Alcohol especially consumed within 6 hours of bed-time will seriously disrupt sleep and greatly decrease REM.
* NO caffeine or other stimulants within 6 hours of sleeping.
* NO marijuana close to bed-time. Some people it sedates and makes them sleepy, but for others it results in long through trains which are very unpleasant when trying to quiet the mind for sleep. Regardless of what effect it has on you, with more-than-occasional use it will inevitably decrease REM sleep, resulting in less rest and worse quality sleep.

Good luck.
 
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