Sleep Sappers Physicians, naturopaths and nutritionists generally agree that these key factors delay or disrupt sleep. Food and drink. According to Jamie Corroon, a naturopath-


ic physician with Seattle’s Bastyr University, eating or drinking too much during the day may make us less comfortable when settling down to sleep. Also, spicy foods may cause heartburn, which can lead to difficulty falling asleep and discomfort during the night.


Caffeine. “Caffeine’s stimulant effect peaks in about one


hour, and then declines as the liver breaks it down. So, if you go to bed by 11 p.m., you’ll have to stop your caffeine intake by 2 or 3 p.m. to avoid insomnia,” advises bestselling author Joy Bauer, a registered dietitian and nutritionist in New York City. She also cautions about energy drinks that incorporate herbal caffeine that may include guarana seeds, kola nuts and yerba mate leaves.


Nightcaps. Although many people think of alcohol as a


sedative, it actually disrupts sleep, according to experts at the National Sleep Foundation.


Sleep Aids


What helps us sleep may be either a food’s chemical properties or the psychological and physical comfort we associate with a certain food or drink. Options include some old reliables. Walnuts and tart cherry juice. Studies conducted by the


University of Texas Health Science Center, in San Antonio, and published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that these two foods are great sources of melatonin, a natural hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles. Tart cherry juice was found to be especially effective in reducing the time it took subjects to fall asleep. Herbs. According to the Center for Integrative Medicine


at the University of Maryland, in Baltimore, some herbs have a mild, sedative effect. Three traditional herbs used for sleep are valerian, German chamomile and passionflower. The European practice of sipping a warm tisane, or herbal tea, made from these ingredients can be warming and soothing, preparing us to sleep. These herbs are also available as supplements. Complex carbohydrates. “Enjoy a bedtime snack,” recom-


mends Bauer, of about 200 calories or less; mainly complex carbohydrates, with a touch of protein, such as some banana with peanut butter, yogurt or a small amount of whole grain ce- real with skim milk. “By combining an ample dose of carbohy- drates together with a small amount of protein—such as yogurt or turkey—containing the amino acid tryptophan, your brain produces serotonin, known as a calming hormone.” A warm, milky drink. Research scientists at the Massachusetts


Institute of Technology concluded that the chemical properties of milk—mainly protein and tryptophan—were not enough to ensure a good night’s sleep (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). However, sleep and wellness expert Anna de Vena, who writes for SleepWellFeelGreat.com, observes, “I love curling up with any kind of warm milky drink before bed, especially in the wintertime. There is a calming association with warm milk and sleep… from the time we were infants, when we drank milk and went to sleep.”


Judith Fertig celebrates healthy food at AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle. blogspot.com.


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