A few days ago, I had a “beautiful” white night! I didn't go to any party, because we are all keeping the social distance the Dutch government advised us to do for so long. I can't say that I exaggerated with the food, but I usually don't eat anything after 6 pm. However, this time I had a very late dinner, which really fired me up, sort of say! The problem was not that I did not sleep, but all those states of anxiety that I had with the thought of the work I had the next day. I thought that I would not be rested, that I would not be able to concentrate, and that my efficiency would be equal to 0. Being so worried did not give me peace all night; my mind made horror scenarios and played with my moods in the morning. Of course, I got out of bed exhausted - all from some inappropriate food late at night. Well, I thought that maybe you went through this too, so I want to share with you a list of what is recommended to eat and what not before sleep!

Good Foods For Sleep:

• Milk. Many people get used to drinking a glass of warm milk in the evening to have a deeper and peaceful sleep. We know this from our grandmothers and mothers, who were very right when they recommended such a thing to us. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that increases the levels of melatonin and serotonin in the body, both of which have the property of inducing sleep.

• Soya. Now that Veganuary and we don’t eat meat, we may sleep better than usual, and this is what happens if we tend to eat more soy. It also contains a large amount of tryptophan, but also calcium. And research has shown that whoever has an adequate level of calcium in the body sleeps better.

• Nuts. They are essential for the diet, especially during this spring, because they help the body recover after the winter. Walnuts also contain magnesium, which helps produce melatonin and thus banish insomnia.

• Salmon. It has so many health benefits that it is delicious not to miss it in our weekly diet. Salmon is also an excellent source of vitamin B6, which helps produce sleep hormones.

• Spinach. After a portion of spinach salad for dinner, I can only wish you a good night. This is because spinach contains, in addition to tryptophan, also vitamin B6, which helps induce a night of deep and restful sleep.

You will have insomnia, and you will be awake all night if you eat:

• Chocolate. We love chocolate very much, but we should avoid this energizing food rich in caffeine in the evening. Especially dark chocolate is an important source of caffeine, compared to milk chocolate or white chocolate. A small piece will not disturb our sleep, but if you eat whole chocolate, you can be sure that you will count the whole flocks of sheep until the day.

• Fatty foods. A high-fat dinner will delay your sleep in the evening, and the next day you will walk like a zombie. You can eat light protein, whole grains, or vegetables for dinner to have a restful sleep.

• Spicy food. In general, spicy foods bring health benefits, but not if we eat them late in the evening. In this case, we end up only with insomnia and possibly with some heartburn.

• Alcohol. Some people claim that a glass of wine helps them fall asleep faster. In fact, alcohol lowers our sleep quality, can make you sleep intermittently and snore.

• Meals with high proteins level. The stomach will work hard all night to digest a high-protein dinner. As a result, sleep will be the first to suffer. We best choose carbohydrates and light vegetables if we want to sleep well.

Did it happen to you not to sleep all night because of a late dinner?

P.S: I DO NOT SMOKE!