Just about every round-up on healthy living – including the many you’ll see this month commemorating February as American Heart Month, includes some evergreen suggestions: eat sensibly, exercise regularly, reduce stress where possible, avoid smoking and place a priority on restful sleep.
As with much else in the world, many of these healthy habits are inter-related. There’s evidence that eating certain foods (such as whole grains with yogurt or milk) provides a combination of tryptophan , complex carbs and calcium that leads to more restful sleep. There’s also evidence that failure to get enough sleep can lead to conditions like obesity and insulin-resistance that can lead to diabetes.
Livestrong.org has a helpful list of sleep-promoting foods, for those of you looking to improve the quality – and quantity – of your nightly sleep. Some of the suggestions, like whole grains, low-fat dairy and the turkey that made tryptophan famous sound like delicious ways to get your ZZZZZs and your Mmmms.