I’m an expert and here’s a hack that’ll help you fall asleep ‘in 10 minutes’

VERY rarely is he afforded the luxury of falling asleep in a matter of minutes.

Usually it comes down to what you’ve been doing in the hours before bed that determines if you’re headed for a bad night sleepthe experts say.

one

And you’ll be glad to know that eating a hearty meal with a serving of carbs should pave the way to nod land.

sleep expert rosie osmun from Everynight.com He said: “Studies have found that eating carbohydrates about four hours before bedtime can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep, so try to incorporate carbohydrates into your dinner.”

One study showed that when men ate starchy carbohydrates before bed, they fell asleep much faster.

The participants received a meal before going to bed: rice, vegetables and a sauce. But one night, the type of rice was changed.

Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, The findings showed that when the men ate jasmine rice four hours before bed, they typically fell asleep within nine minutes.

This was half the time it took the men after eating long-grain rice four hours before bedtime: 18 minutes.

The difference between each food is that jasmine rice has a high glycemic index (GI), while long grain rice has a low GI.

The researchers suggested that high-GI carbohydrates might increase tryptophan and serotonin, two brain chemicals involved in sleep.

High GI carbohydrates are those that break down quickly, causing a rapid rise in blood glucose, and typically include:

• White bread
• White rice
• White potatoes and French fries
• Fruits like watermelon and pineapple.
• cakes and cookies

Low- and medium-GI foods break down more slowly and cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels over time, and include whole grains carbohydrates like brown rice.

Although this particular study suggested that high GI carbohydrates are better for sleep, the research is unclear.

High-GI carbs can include sugary foods like cakes, donuts, and packaged goods, and experts don’t recommend a bedtime sugar hit.

People who control their weight or who have type 1 or 2 diabetes You should also consider avoiding these foods because they cause blood sugar levels to rise.

In addition to this, the NHS recommends “higher fiber wholegrain varieties [of carbohydrates]”as part of a balanced diet, which includes brown rice and whole wheat pasta.

These foods generally have a lower GI and are considered “complex carbohydrates”although each carbohydrate has a different composition.

Complex carbohydrates are considered more nutritious than “simple carbohydrates” because they are packed with fiber and starch, while simple carbohydrates carbohydrates they are made up mostly of sugars and are used to make processed foods.

Complex carbohydrates are beneficial for stay slim and prevent related diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

They include:

• sweet or white potatoes
• multi-seed bread
• wheat pasta
• whole grain pita bread
• nice brown
• quinoa
• Spelt
• lentils
• Beans
• garbanzo beans
• Vegetables

Foods to avoid for sleep

Meanwhile, Rosie warns about foods to try and avoid if you want to fall asleep faster.

She said: “Foods that are too salty, fatty or spicy can cause acid reflux and heartburn, so avoid eating them late at night.

“Instead, try opting for foods like fruits and vegetables that promote sleep, such as cherries or bananasto avoid nights of tossing and turning.”

Cherries have been found to contain small amounts of melatonin, a hormone that the body naturally produces in response to low light, to help us sleep.

Bananas are packed with potassium and magnesium which are known to relax muscles.

Marie-Pierre St-Onge, an associate professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University in New York, also believes food in the hours before bed They are vital for a good night’s sleep.

In an article for well-known magazine in December, he wrote: “Our studies over the past seven years have shown that eating more fiber and less saturated fat and sugar during the day results in deeper, less disturbed sleep at night.

“It can be particularly helpful to follow a Mediterranean-type diet rich in fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains and olive oil.

“Other foods, including tomatoes, pineapple, tart cherries, bananas, apples, vegetable oils, nuts, and animal products, contain melatonin.

“Eating these melatonin-rich foods may also increase your own melatonin levels, although research on this is sparse.”

Other tips to fall asleep fast

Rosie outlined her other top tips for Make it easy to fall asleep fast.

These are:

Avoid daytime naps: “Long naps can disrupt your sleep schedule, delaying the onset of sleep at night.

“Instead, stick to quick 30-minute naps when needed.”

Stop looking at the clock: “It’s hard to resist curious glances at the clock to see how much time is left until morning.

“However, obsessing over time can only cause stress and ultimately make it more difficult to fall asleep.”

cool it down: “The perfect bedroom temperature for falling asleep is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.

“If the temperature in your room is too warm, this can contribute to an increase in body temperature, making it difficult for you to fall asleep and achieve deep sleep.”

Relaxation technique: “Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) can help relax the body before bed.

“In order to relieve any tension, the goal of this technique is to tense the muscles briefly before relaxing them.”

Follow this PMR routine to promote sleep:

• Close your eyes and breathe slowly.
• Tense your entire face (eyes, mouth, nose, jaw, and lips) for about 10 seconds, then take a deep breath and relax your muscles.
• Repeat this process of tensing and relaxing muscles throughout your body, from your shoulders and neck to your calves and feet.
• As your tense muscles relax, you’ll feel them relax, just like falling asleep.