Summer heat troubles us not only during the day but in the night too. Many of us face sleep problems in hot weather. There tends to be a small drop in our core body temperature while sleeping, thanks to the production of the hormone melatonin. But if the temperature of your surroundings is too high, sleep can be greatly affected. You may find it hard to fall asleep and even when you do, you may toss and turn. So what should you do? Your diet can actually help you in this regard, especially in the summer. It is well known that light and hydrating foods should be consumed in this season, but what should you be having at night? And what practices can help you get a good night's rest? Find out more below.
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Here Are 5 Tips To Sleep Better In Summer:
Tip 1: Go easy on the desserts after dinner
Many of us love indulging in a sweet treat after our meals. But you might want to skip dessert after dinner - especially if there's not a large gap between your meal and bedtime. Foods high in sugar tend to unfavourably impact your insulin levels. This, in turn, may make it difficult to sleep peacefully. Furthermore, desserts like ice cream that are rich in fats also pose a problem. Your body needs time to digest the extra fats. Until it does, it will not be able to completely rest. Hence, you may struggle to fall asleep or have a disturbed sleep.
Tip 2: Say no to spice
Apart from large amounts of sugar and fats, a lot of spice can also lead to poor sleep. However, the reasons here are slightly different. While certain sweet items are heavy on the stomach, some spicy foods can actually harm digestive health. They can cause problems like acid reflux, bloating, constipation and other serious issues. If your gut is not at ease, your sleep is going to be far from restful, or nonexistent. Moreover, spicy food has a heating effect on the body and its consumption should be limited in summer. You also have to focus on cooling your body on the inside during hot weather. Click here to know which spices you should specifically avoid in this season.
Tip 3: Sip on chamomile tea, herbal tea or warm milk
Wondering what you should be consuming before bedtime then? Chamomile tea is a great option because chamomile is a cooling herb. It helps soothe your body and also calm it down. You can also brew your own herbal tea using cooling spices such as fennel (saunf), cumin (jeera), jaiphal (nutmeg) and others. All these spices are said to help you sleep better at night. Read more about this here.
Another age-old remedy is a glass of warm milk. The tryptophan (an amino acid) and melatonin content of milk are said to induce sleep. Avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee as they tend to increase alertness.
Tip 4: Eat bananas, nuts and honey
Apart from spices and drinks, there are also a number of foods that can help you sleep better. Bananas, honey and nuts are some of the best options. Honey has a natural sugar content that can allow tryptophan and serotonin to enter the brain. This enables the release of chemicals that relax the body. Bananas and nuts contain magnesium, and research suggests that such foods may help relieve anxiety.
Also Read: Sleep Deprived? 8 Signs You Shouldn't Ignore at All
Drinking relaxing drinks at night can help you get better sleep.
Photo Credit: iStock
Tip 5: Make lifestyle changes as well as dietary ones
Your sleep problems may be caused by general stress, anxiety, or other factors. So only modifying your diet will not always work. However, you should ideally have an early dinner and allow your body time to properly digest food before you try to sleep. In the summer, you must also keep your external body cool by using clothes as well as coverings made of light, natural fabrics. Another suggestion by experts: avoid taking a cold shower at night. You may think that the chilly effect will help you beat the heat, but it might just make you feel more awake. Finally, don't forget to keep drinking water handy. Staying hydrated helps manage body temperature.
Keep these tips in mind for a good night's sleep even when it's hot!
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.