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Can't Sleep? It May Be Something You Ate

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Temporary bouts of insomnia can be caused be many things. Stress is a frequent culprit, as is temporary illness. If you're having trouble sleeping and if neither stress nor illness are causing it then often the best place to look is at your diet. Changing your diet can have a big impact on your ability to sleep.

To make this information easier to digest, let's break it down into two sections:

1. What Not To Eat.

Anything containing the stimulant, caffeine should be avoided. This includes coffee, tea, colas, chocolate candy and some headache medications. Depending on your metabolism­, you may have to give up caffeine completely, rather than just avoiding it in the evening.

Alcohol is also a stimulant and should be avoided. Not only might alcohol prevent you from getting to sleep it is also likely to cause you to wake during the night.

Your intake of sugar or any refined carbohydrates should be reduced as much as possible. Not only can excess sugar create a burst of energy in your system during the night which can keep you awake, it can also prevent serotonin production (a natural sleep agent).

2. Food That Can Actually Aid Sleep.

Warm Milk - It's an old wife's tale but a warm glass of milk before bed can do wonders. What the old wives didn't know was that milk, when warmed, releases a chemical, trypotophan, which promotes sleep. If a mug of warm milk seems a bit bland, then consider adding a spoonful of honey.

Foods containing complex carbohydrates such as pastas, cereals, oatmeal, potatos and brown rice help ward off insomnia. The body responds to complex carbs by producing serotonin, which is a sleep-inducing hormone.

Poultry and fish contain niacin, a form of vitamin B3, that promotes serotonin production.

Believe it or not, lettuce contains an opium-like substance that, if eaten as part of your evening meal can help the body and mind relax.

Fresh lemon juice contains a natural version of some common ingredients of prescription pills.

Aside from substances consumed, you should also look at your consumption patterns. Try to avoid large evening meals. Eating too much close to bedtime is likely to result in an upset stomach that will either keep you awake or wake you up in the middle of deep sleep. It's not only healthier in general, but also better for insomnia sufferers, to eat a large breakfast and finish the day with a small meal.

For many people, paying careful attention to your diet and eating habits can both treat and prevent insomnia.