Can eating a banana help you sleep better?

( Natural News ) Many people find it hard to have a good night’s sleep because of various factors, such as stress and busyness. And while taking sleeping pills may be a tempting solution to this, these come with unwanted side effects. Fortunately, there are safer and more natural ways to sleep better at night. One of these is eating bananas before bed . How so? The sleep-enhancing powers of the yellow tropical fruit are discussed below: Bananas help control your sleep patterns: Bananas contain an essential amino acid called tryptophan , which helps the body produce serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that helps regulate the functions of the body. It is deemed as one of the most important chemicals in the brain and plays a role in treating anxiety, insomnia, and other mood problems, such as agitation, aggression, anger, fatigue, and irritability. It also plays a role in regulating body temperature and sleep. Bananas help soothe the mind: In addition to serotonin, tryptophan also helps produce melatonin, which is responsible for regulating circadian rhythms or the sleep-wake cycle. The hormone works together with serotonin to control sleeping patterns, body temperature, and hormone release. It also helps treat anxiety and improves sleep. In a study published in the Journal of Pineal Research , researchers associated eating bananas with an increase in melatonin levels in the body. Bananas promote relaxation in the body: Lacking magnesium in your diet can cause night cramps, which can disturb your sleep and keep you awake at night. Bananas help prevent night cramps because they contain magnesium. One banana offers 8 percent of the recommended daily intake of magnesium. The mineral influences some of the processes in the body that promote sleep. Magnesium also regulates neurotransmitters and melatonin, calming the mind and body for better […]

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