Late night cravings are not uncommon, and can be the result of your body trying to tell you that it might be low in one or several essential nutrients.
Minerals and micro nutrients are important when it comes to production of serotonin
and melatonin which are the two hormones which aid sleep.
The trick is to choose healthy snacks to satisfy your late night cravings.
Many people do have a snack before going to bed as they are convinced it helps them sleep better and wake up feeling more refreshed. It is easy to choose an unhealthy snack but a healthy snack would help you sleep better.
How do you choose a healthy snack?
There are a few general guide lines which are important as a good night’s sleep is one of the best recipes for long term good health.
Planning a bed time snack is better than to give into sudden late night cravings which may force you to choose something less healthy.
A hot chocolate drink is often thought of as a healthy snack as it consists of milk which
can help us to sleep better and chocolate which often contains added sugar to satisfy craving for late night carbohydrates. Milk contains proteins which are absorbed by the body during sleep but more importantly milk also contains tryptophan which promotes better sleep.
Chocolate has been known to help many people relax so a good snack could be a hot chocolate drink, or milk with an oatmeal chocolate covered biscuit.
Hot chocolate made from dark chocolate is better than ordinary milk chocolate.
Dark chocolate has the same glycemic rating as oats and will not a sharp rise in blood sugar levels.
An alternative would be a snack of cherries as they increase the level of melatonin in the body. Melatonin is the hormone which helps to control the sleep cycle.
It is worth trying a snack of a cherry flavoured granola bar if you suffer late night food cravings. Eating cherries on their own could give you a stomach ache when you try to sleep as they are rich in fiber.
Bananas are also a good bed time snack as they contain potassium. Potassium is the mineral which promotes peaceful sleep and helps the body to control energy production. Bananas are also fat free and easy to digest.
Oats will also make you sleep better. There are many choices when it comes to oats. Anything from oatcakes to a small bowl of fresh oatmeal porridge with perhaps a sliced banana for that little bit of extra potassium before bed time. Some warm milk on top of your oatmeal should put a stop to your late night cravings.
A slice of whole wheat toast topped with peanut butter is a quick snack which is low in fat and very comforting. Also tastes great with your hot chocolate.
Wholemeal muffins is another alternative and can be accompanied by a mug of chamomile tea or a glass of warm or cold milk.
Remember the idea behind a bed time snack is to ensure restful and peaceful sleep which
lets you wake up feeling refreshed and well rested in the morning.