A good night of sleep is key to maintaining our beauty and health, but it’s easier said than done. There are plenty of things that keep us awake at night, and fortunately there’s always a solution. We rounded up some of the most common triggers and fixes to help you get more Zs…

Follow us @FoodvsEvil

Also: 6 Foods your body needs to fight inflammation

Indigestion: You ate late and you’re feeling the consequences. Acid has invaded your stomach and the reflux is not letting you sleep well. Ginger will help you with this problem, a little cup of tea before going to bed will prevent acid buildup and the dreadful reflux.  Don’t eat acidic foods at dinner and try to sleep with your head slightly raised to prevent the acid from coming up.

You’re constantly emptying your bladder: Stop drinking liquid and hour and a half or two before going to bed and avoid diuretic drinks like tea, tropical fruit juice, carbonated drinks, coffee and alcohol. Go to the bathroom couple times before hitting the bed to make sure there’s no liquid in your bladder. Set your bedroom temperature right, not too cold nor warm.

Too many nightmares: Bad dreams are mostly related to food, certain ingredients affect our nervous system and make our brain more active while we sleep. The most common culprits are MSG, artificial sugar, sodium, and alcohol. Indigestion is one of the main causes of sleepless nights and that’s why we shouldn’t go to bed full because this increases our metabolism. Don’t eat late and try to fully digest your food before going to bed.

Stress: Is one of the main causes of insomnia due to a high brain activity. When we’re feeling stressed, our body releases high quantities of a hormone called cortisol, which affects directly our nervous system. Try to lower the levels of this hormone by practicing yoga, meditation, working out or drinking a cup of chamomile or lavender tea two hours before bed. A cup of red wine also help some people relax. Don’t watch or read anything upsetting before bed, and make sure you go to bed when you’re really tired. 

Good night!

Image by Flickr