Unfortunately, most of you believe that you should never eat before bed or after 8pm etc. True you shouldn't eat a large meal right before going to sleep but not because it will cause you to gain weight. The two reasons to not eat a large meal before settling into sleep are: 1. if you have reflux (heartburn) it is exasperated by laying down.2. having a large meal will result in the body having to digest and keep you awake tossing and turning. However, a light snack (150 calories or less) with the right mix of ingredients can help you get a better night rests. Among the best natural sedatives is tryptophan, one of the ingredients necessary for the body to make serotonin, a brain chemical that helps you feel calm and drowsy. The trick is to combine tryptophan-containing foods like turkey, milk, cheese, and eggs with carbohydrates, which help transport tryptophan into the brain, where it can make you sleepy. A plain rice cake (those are your carbs) with some low-fat cheese (that's your tryptophan source) is the perfect sleep-inducing snack.Getting a good nights sleep is very important for a healthy weight. If our body doesn't receive energy from rest.... where do you think it wants to get the energy from? Food.
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