How to stay healthy and live better

Late night cravings are not uncommon, and can be the result of your body trying to tell you that it might be low in one or several essential nutrients. Minerals and micro nutrients are important when it comes to production of serotonin and melatonin.

The trick is to choose healthy snacks to satisfy your late night cravings. Many people do have a snack before going to bed as they are convinced it helps them sleep better and wake up feeling more refreshed. It is easy to choose an unhealthy snack but by choosing a healthy snack you could sleep better.

 What is a healthy snack before bed time? There are a few general guide lines which are important as a good night’s sleep is one of the best recipes for long term good health. Planning a bed time snack is better than to give into sudden late night cravings. 

A hot chocolate drink is often thought of as a healthy snack as it consists of milk which can help us to sleep better and chocolate which often contains added sugar to satisfy craving for late night carbohydrates. Milk contains proteins which are absorbed by the body during sleep but more importantly milk also contains tryptophan which aids better sleep. Chocolate has been known to help many people relax so a good snack could be a hot chocolate drink, or milk with an oatmeal chocolate covered biscuit.

Hot chocolate made from dark chocolate is better than ordinary milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has the same glycemic rating as oats and will not cause a sugar spike. 

An alternative would be a snack of cherries as they increase the level of melatonin in the body. Melatonin is the hormone which helps to control the sleep cycle. It is worth trying a snack of a cherry flavoured granola bar if you suffer late night food cravings. 

Bananas are also a good bed time snack as they contain potassium. This is the mineral which promotes peaceful sleep and helps the body to control energy production. Bananas are also fat free and easy to digest.

Oats also help aid better sleep. There are many choices when it comes to oats. Anything  from oatcakes to a s mall bowl of fresh oatmeal porridge with perhaps a sliced banana for that little bit of extra potassium before bed time. Some warm milk on top of your oatmeal should help late night cravings.

A slice of whole wheat toast topped with peanut butter is a quick snack which is low in fat and it digested quickly. Wholemeal muffins should also be considered and accompanied by a mug of chamomile tea or a glass of warm or cold milk. 

Remember the idea behind a bed time snack is to ensure restful and peaceful sleep which lets you wake up refreshed in the morning.