Can't Sleep? Try Eating This...

Do you ever find yourself tossing and turning in the middle of the night for literally no reason at all? Your mind just won't shut off and you feel hopelessly jittery. You try everything you can. Downloading sleep aid apps, taking pills, doing sleep exercises, stopped using your phone in bed, and you've even tried changing up your routine a bit. But there you are...staring at the ceiling, desperately wishing for a few hours of sleep before your alarm rings in the morning.

Say goodbye to those sleepless nights, because there's a delicious snack that actually helps you fall asleep. PEANUT BUTTER! 

The science is quite simple: peanut butter makes you tired because the amino acid tryptophan is present in it. When you consume tryptophan, your body converts it to serotonin and melatonin, making you happier and sleepier. You know how after Thanksgiving dinner you just want to take a never-ending nap? That's because there's a whole lotta tryptophan present in turkey. Other foods that'll give you that sleepy feeling include tofu, eggs, honey, bananas, and nuts. (You know, in case you're allergic to PB.) So uh...maybe you shouldn't start your day with banana-honey-peanut butter toast with scrambled eggs anymore. Who knew?

This peanut butter trick might not work for everyone, but it's definitely worth a shot. The Sleep Foundation states that having complex carbs with your tryptophan food (aka peanut butter) is highly encouraged. 

"Certain foods contain an amino acid called tryptophan that causes sleepiness. Carbohydrates make tryptophan more available to the brain, which is why carbohydrate-heavy meals can make you drowsy," The Sleep Foundation explains. "Proteins from the food we eat are the building blocks of tryptophan, which is why the best bedtime snack is one that contains both a carbohydrate and protein." 

They recommend delicious nighttime snacks such as "cereal with milk, peanut butter on toast, or cheese and crackers." However, if you want to get more creative with your peanut-butter-and-carbs combo, you can try it on a crepe, on graham crackers, on bananas, or even on popcorn.

Next time you find yourself tossing and turning, try incorporating peanut butter into your nightly routine and see how it works for you!