Juicy Sleep Aids

To sleep, per chance to dream. . . Shakespeare

It’s midnight and the TV is calling your name. What’s one more hour…right? Turns out, it could mean the difference between a day of eating right or a day of eating—well—everything in sight. Get your pajamas ready. According to a recent study, 62 percent of adults who got an extra 96 minutes of sleep each night reported that their daytime junk food cravings decreased by a whopping 50 percent. Why? As it turns out, sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on your metabolism—particularly your appetite controlling hormones. When you stay up at night, more energy is required later. The next day your body overcompensates by releasing “hunger” hormones that send your appetite skyrocketing. And if you’ve ever been in a meeting stocked with doughnuts after a late night, you’ve probably discovered firsthand that your body isn’t hungry for fruits and vegetables. Focusing on sleep has a profound effect on a healthy lifestyle, providing a 32 percent increase in productivity and focus, and an energy boost for higher fitness performance.

Okay, so you agree to get more sleep. Easier said than done, right? What if you can’t sleep easily. But sometimes the hardest part of getting enough sleep is being able to wind down from a busy day and fall asleep quickly. Here’s where fruits and vegetables come to the rescue! For a quicker, restful night of pleasant dreams, skip counting sheep, and count on these fruits and vegetables to help you sleep.

1. Kale: Dairy products are well-known calcium-rich foods. But green leafy vegetables, such as kale, chard, and collards, also boast healthy doses of calcium. Research suggests that being calcium deficient may make it difficult to fall asleep. Load up on this trendy veggie before bed and your body will be thanking you in the morning. The easiest way to include it is to juice it up!
2. Dark Red Cherries: Cherries are one of the few natural sources of melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone. Have a handful of this fruit an hour before bedtime. If fresh ones aren’t in season and frozen aren’t available, go for cherry juice. I woke up at 4 am a couple of days ago. I was still tired, but couldn’t get back to sleep. I took a tablespoon of cherry juice and went right back to sleep after that. It can also help with gout and supports healthy joint function. Check it out http://juiceladycherie.com/store/#!/Apothe-Cherry/p/54959915/category=4641363
3. Celery. The minerals and essential oils in celery juice have a calming effect on the nervous system, making it beneficial for insomniacs. Its high magnesium levels help people relax and drift into a soothing, restful sleep. You will need about 8 ounces before bedtime to get sleepy, which will take more than the recipe below calls for. Juice about one bunch of celery.
4. Tomatoes: Grown on the vine, tomatoes are a natural source of melatonin, a chemical produced by the body during sleep. Although it is recommended to get fresh sources, which you can eat raw or juiced, tomatoes can be found in sauces, tomato paste, and dried tomatoes as well. They are full of antioxidants, which are particularly helpful for your immune system. And they are also rich in lycopene, which has been shown to prevent prostate cancer.
5. Passion Fruit: If anxiety is what’s keeping you up, you’ll be passionate about passion fruit. Passion fruit contains several medicinal alkaloids, including the sedative compound “harman,” which has traditionally been used to treat anxiety, insomnia and restlessness.

Sources:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/112103-fruits-sleep/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/366526-exercise-lack-of-sleep/

http://www.thefabricator.com/article/safety/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-work-performance

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/