Good and healthy sleep is a natural function of the human body. The amount of sleep needed each night varies, but for adults, getting at least seven hours every night is crucial to having a healthy mind and body. And when we don’t get enough sleep, our bodies aren’t the only things that suffer. It also affects the way that we behave, respond and act.

We have a natural sleep-wake cycle called circadian rhythm. By being in sync with that rhythm, we can easily improve our sleep. A regular sleep/wake pattern helps you feel refreshed and ready for your day.

Having good sleep hygiene is crucial, such as avoiding stimulants like too much coffee to prevent caffeine overdose and less use of electronics are both the right things to do for better sleep.

Thankfully, good sleep hygiene combined with natural sleep aids can make all the difference in getting some body-craving restful sleep. Calcium, magnesium and valerian can help to naturally put you to sleep.

Eat Right!

It’s a well-known fact that having a heavy meal just before bed can cause you to have a poor night of rest, but did you know that there are some foods that could help you sleep better?

Probably the most commonly known characteristic that can help through food is tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that can help the brain get into a relaxed state, similar to serotonin and melatonin. You can obtain tryptophan and serotonin from carbohydrates, particularly 100 percent whole grain oats, brown rice, corn or quinoa.

Calcium

According to the European Neurology Journal, calcium levels are at their highest during our deep rapid eye movement (REM) sleep periods. What this means is that if you never get to the REM sleep phase or if it’s limited, it could be related to a calcium deficiency. Researchers indicate that the calcium is important because it helps the cells in the brain use the tryptophan to create melatonin — a natural body-producing sleep aid.

3. Magnesium

Studies have shown that higher magnesium levels can help induce a deeper sleep, and as I noted, this is especially true when taken together with calcium for better absorption. Research indicates that higher levels of magnesium actually helped provide better, more consistent sleep since magnesium is a calming nutrient. In addition to the goat’s milk kefir, foods like spinach, pumpkin seeds and even dark chocolate can help since they’re loaded with magnesium.

Here are a few snacks to consume for getting a good night of sleep:

Half a banana with a few almonds

Crackers with almond butter

Gluten-free oatmeal with honey and dark cherries

Small glass of warm goat’s milk kefir with turmeric and a dash of cinnamon

Chamomile, passion flower and valerian tea

Small glass of tart cherry juice