Ensure a good night’s sleep

It is a traumatic experience for a person to be wide awake when the rest of the world is asleep. Insomnia can have a negative impact on concentration, affect productivity and cause mood swings.

It is a traumatic experience for a person to be wide awake when the rest of the world is asleep. Insomnia can have a negative impact on concentration, affect productivity and cause mood swings. Lack of sleep puts us at risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

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Causes of insomnia

The known reasons are:
Psychological: Anxiety, depression, worry, anger.
Genetic: Hormonal changes during menopause and menstruation.
Environmental: Noise, discomfort, travelling in different time zones.
Medical conditions: Heart diseases, breathing problems, digestive complaints
Drugs: Nicotine, caffeine, heroin, cocaine
Sleeping pills and tranquillisers: Cause sleep disturbance
Other prescription drugs: Contraceptives, diuretics, slimming pills, stimulants

Deal with sleeplessness :
* A glass of warm milk, which contains tryptophan, encourages sleep.
* Eat legumes, peanuts, fish or poultry. They’re rich in vitamin B3 and promotes healthy sleep.
* Pasta, rice, bread, porridge made from broken wheat has a mild sleep-enhancing effect as they increase serotonin.
* Exercise helps you to sleep better.
* The ayurvedic herb Brahmi is effective in inducing sleep.

Foods which interfere with sleep :
* Oily and spicy foods, foods flavored with garlic, beans, cucumbers and peanuts cause gas and indigestion, leading to disturbed sleep.
* High protein foods like chicken and mutton are heavy and difficult to digest, therefore inhibit sleep.
* Never eat a heavy meal before bed as your digestive system slows down and the calories are not properly used by your body.

Dr Anjali Mukerjee is a nutritionist and founder of Health Total, a nutrition counselling centre