Tag: sleep aids

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A TASTE OF HONEY HELPS YOU SLEEP

Doctors have coined a new phrase called Covid-Somnia.  Many folks aren’t sleeping as well as they did before the pandemic.  They have a hard  time falling  to sleep, and they’re waking up more in the middle of the night.  Worries keep them awake.  Will I get the virus?  When will the lockdown end? What will I do when the money runs out?  And now,  election 2020  has added to the  anxiety.  Was the election stolen?  Will my vote mean anything in the future?  Consequently, there’s an increased demand for sleeping pills, but they really don’t help long term. You might try some alternative remedies.  As an example, it’s been found that a taste of honey helps you sleep.

According to doctors, Here’s how honey helps you sleep:

1. It provides  fuel for your brain throughout the night by restocking your liver’s glycogen. Low levels of glycogen tell your brain that you need to eat . This “hunger” can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night and sleep less soundly.

2.  Honey helps your brain release melatonin, the hormone that your body uses to restore itself during sleep. This happens through a series of transformations in your brain: honey’s sugars spike your insulin levels, releasing tryptophan, which becomes serotonin, which becomes melatonin.

A tasste of honey helps you sleep because it has serotonin
A taste of honey helps you sleep. It feeds your brain with relaxing serotonin.

Yes, honey increases the brain’s natural sedative,  serotonin– a hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well being, and happiness.  Honey is inexpensive, compared to sleeping pills.  It’s not habit forming, and it doesn’t lead to a typical “drug hangover,” that leaves you feeling sluggish. However , honey has calories—about 20 per teaspoon.  So you don’t want to go overboard.

Honey has been a game changer for me. I started by by taking  one teaspoon of honey in my afternoon tea.  Then , right before bedtime,   another teaspoon. After a couple of nights, I realized I was sleeping later in the morning than usual.  And if I did wake  in the middle of the night, I could easily get back to sleep.

Honey can also help you sleep if you have a cough.   The Mayo Clinic says it works just as well as a cough suppressant.

Why not try a taste of honey?  It may help you sleep.

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REFRIED BEANS CAN HELP YOU SLEEP

Are you suffering from pandemic stress and fatigue?  Seven months of social isolation due to Covid 19, combined with worries about the 2020 election is bad enough.  But many are exhausted with juggling home schooling and  trying to work at home. That’s if you’re lucky enough to have a job—which many don’t.   No wonder It’s difficult to get enough uninterrupted sleep  But did you know that certain foods like refried beans can help you sleep?

I’d forgotten about tryptophan until last night, when we picked up some Mexican food.  That’s one good thing about the pandemic.  Since we don’t care to take a chance eating in restaurants, we’re trying out a lot of carry out from new places.  Gotta add some variety to our life, right? The day before had been stressful, with little things going wrong,.  Then, there was  the disturbing vice presidential debate with Harris smirking and grimacing, and Pence’s red eye, and  a fly crawling on his head.  Not conducive to a good night’s sleep.

We stumbled around in a fog the next day, and used what little energy we could muster to pick up some tacos and refried beans. I was afraid the spicy food might keep us awake,  However, both of us slept like logs, and woke up feeling rested.

Refried Beans are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, which can help you sleeep.
Refried beans can help you sleep because they are a good source of the amino acid, tryptophan

Black  and pinto beans in Mexican dishes can help with insomnia.   Why?  because they contain an amino acid called  tryptophan which gets converted into the hormone melatonin, which makes you sleepy.

Several other foods are a good source of tryptophan.  Ever wonder why you’re so sleepy after a big Thanksgiving feast?  It could be due to that big serving of roasted turkey.

Some people try to get their tryptophan the easy way—by taking pills.  Not a good idea.  Side affects may  include nausea, loss of appetite, dizziness, headache, dry mouth and drowsiness. Other potential side effects of this supplement include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, indigestion and gas.

Anyway, It’s a lot more fun eating Mexican food  than taking pills   And–best of all–refried beans can help you sleep.