Try Comfort Food for a Restful Night’s Sleep

Craving comfort food at night? It’s not just you! Discover why these nostalgic dishes trigger happy memories & how they might even help you sleep better.

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KEY TAKEAWAY:

More than just filling our stomachs, there are those go-to foods that trigger a sense of comfort and happy memories. Often linked to childhood experiences, they might be meals lovingly cooked by family or after-school snacks enjoyed with loved ones. Maybe it’s your mom’s famous lasagna, or a warm slice of your childhood favorite pie. These are the comfort foods that leave you feeling relaxed, content, and maybe even a little pleasantly drowsy and ready for sleep – the good kind of tired.

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Comfort Food

We often feel guilty about indulging in food like mac and cheese, especially when we’re trying to eat healthier. But the surprising truth is, our bodies are complex! Sometimes, that occasional indulgence in a favorite dish can be just what we need. It can act as a stress reliever, a way to manage stress, bring back good memories, and leave us feeling satisfied.

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Childhood Memories and Food

Familiar Flavors, Happy Memories: Ever notice how certain foods take you right back to good times?

Familiar dishes you grew up with, or meals common in your culture, have a way of triggering happy memories. The sights, smells, and tastes can be so vivid, it’s like you’re right back there in time.

Family meals: Think of those warm nights spent gathered around the table with family.

Familiar comfort foods can be powerful memory triggers. A simple aroma – a whiff of pot roast or simmering spaghetti sauce – can instantly transport you back to your mom’s kitchen. You can almost hear the laughter and chatter again, each bite bringing back a warm nostalgia. The positive feelings associated with those times can extend to bedtime, making it easier to drift off to sleep.

Nighttime Routine: Remember those set bedtimes after family dinners?

It wasn’t just about rules – those routines trained your body for sleep. Your body remembers. Sipping a mug of warm milk became a signal to wind down and prepare for sleep. Foods eaten before bed might become linked to sleep itself.

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Nostalgia and Better Sleep

While a balanced diet is important for overall sleep quality, there’s a special place and time for familiar food when it comes to catching some sleep. Here’s why those familiar dishes can be a surprising help in your quest for a restful night’s sleep:

• Memories that Melt Away Stress: More than just sustenance, some foods act as memory triggers, evoking happy times. These positive associations can significantly improve our mood. In fact, indulging in a familiar indulgent food can trigger the release of mood-regulating chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. These chemicals, in turn, promote relaxation and stress reduction.
• Tryptophan, Natural Sleep Aid: Many favorites, like thanksgiving turkey, roast chicken, or a glass of milk, are naturally high in tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that your body converts into melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. So next time you’re craving some childhood comfort food, you might be giving yourself a gentle nudge towards a good night’s rest.
• High Calorie Content: It’s not just about the taste. Feel-good foods are higher in sugar, fat, or carbohydrates. When you indulge in these familiar flavors, your body might release pleasure chemicals in the brain. These chemicals can boost your mood and create a feeling of happiness and relaxation. It’s like your body’s way of saying “thanks for that delicious bite!”

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Benefits of Comfort Food

Favorite foods can be a great source of emotional well-being. It provides a much-needed sense of comfort and nostalgia during stressful times. After all, life can be tough, and sometimes we just need a familiar pick-me-up. There’s nothing wrong with indulging in a little comfort food now and then – it’s a form of self-care for your mind and soul.

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Comfort Food and Sleep

For those of us who’ve exhausted all sleep solutions, scientific or otherwise, a familiar comfort food might be worth a try. Sometimes, our bodies crave the comfort and nostalgia associated with certain foods, and indulging occasionally could be the key to a more restful night’s sleep.

Enjoy a warm hug of comfort food tonight, and sweet dreams!

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 Turkey contains high levels of tryptophan, so it is famously blamed for sleepiness after Thanksgiving dinner. 

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/why-do-i-get-sleepy-after-eating#references-79543