Best and worst foods for a good night sleep

After a long day, a sound sleep is something that you wish for as soon as you hit the bed. But do you experience days when sleep simply evades you? Before you blame factors that are not in your control, you must know that the last morsel that you put in your mouth before bedtime plays a pivotal role in deciding what kind of sleep you will get. Experts believe that there are some foods that harm your sleep, others that are sleep promoters.So let's find out about these sleep inducers and sleep stealers.

Sleep inducer: MILK
Do you remember how your grandmother insisted on you having a warm glass of milk before hitting the bed? Well, so you know milk consists amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin, a brain chemical.

Sleep stealer: WINE
You must have read ample studies indicating how red wine is good for your heart. That doesn't hold true for your sleep. There are studies that prove it leads to low quality of sleep. So you know when not to have wine!

Sleep inducer: RICE
Rice is one controversial food that has gained bad reputation among weight watchers. Of all rice qualities, Jasmine rice helps you best in inducing a good night sleep. Celebrity nutritionist, Rujuta Diwekar firmly believes that rice is not a weight gaining food, it is indeed light on the stomach. "This is the reason small kids are given rice water before anything else as it is easy to digest

Sleep stealer: DARK CHOCOLATE/COFFEE
Dark chocolate is healthy and a favourite among chocolate lovers who don't want to feel guilty after feasting on it. Mind you, don't feast on it before bedtime. A bar of chocolate contains the same amount of caffeine as decaffeinated coffee. And coffee is a big no no before bedtime.

Sleep inducer: BANANA
Try having a banana when you are feeling stressed! Yes, not only does the potassium in the banana relives your stress but the magnesium is also muscle relaxing. On top of that, the carbohydrates present in the banana will help you with a sound sleep

Sleep stealer: CHICKEN/PANEER CURRY
Nothing like a filling dinner of chicken curry or paneer makhani but these curries are also responsible for snatching your sleep. One must always avoid a calorie-laden dish before hitting the bed as it will induce trouble in falling asleep and might even be responsible for keeping you away from deep sleep.

Sleep inducer: VEGETABLE SOUP
Perfect for this weather, a warm bowl of vegetable soup is your best bet for a happy night sleep. "The softened vegetables in the soup are easy to digest, thus saving your digestive system from the stress of working overtime," shares diet expert Mansi Chatrath.

Sleep stealer: GREEN TEA
Surprised? After all who doesn't know green tea is a must have for a healthy life. As a matter of fact, green tea is best when taken during the day. Do not forget that green is not decaffeinated, exactly the element that snatches you sleep.

Sleep inducer: WHOLE WHEAT CEREAL
Try switching to your favourite breakfast cereal as a dinner option and you will know why it is called a sleep inducer. Added to milk, this is the perfect dish to put you to sleep.
Last but not the least, have your food atleast an hour or two before bedtime so that when you hit the bed, your system is not working on digesting your last meal.