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Trouble sleeping? Eat your way to a good snooze

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Trouble sleeping? Eat your way to a good snooze

- Trouble sleeping? Eat your way to a good snooze

We all know which foods we're supposedly meant to avoid before settling down to catch forty winks - coffee keeps you up; carbs get your stomach churning; cheese gives you nightmares...

But according to The Sleep Council, a body that aims to raise awareness of the importance of a good night's sleep, some foods can really set you up for a healthy kip.

Sounds much more fun than counting sheep...

Sleep Council member Jessica Alexander explains that certain foods, eaten before bed, can get you in a sleepy mood.

“While we don’t recommend eating a big meal just before bedtime, as it can lead to discomfort and indigestion, some people find a bedtime snack a helpful aid to sleep," she says. “The best is one that contains complex carbohydrates and protein and perhaps some calcium - which is why dairy products are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.”

Yogurt and milk products are great if you've got the late night munchies, as the calcium in dairy products can reduce stress and stabilise the nerve fibres in your brain, making you feel calm and relaxed.

Calcium is also found in leafy green veg such as cabbage and spinach, so don't hold back on raiding the fridge for a midnight salad!

Other foods that help to stop your brain buzzing and prepare you for some downtime include whole grain cereals, bananas, almonds, and most types of fish.

We wouldn't advise eating them all together, though!

Once you've treated yourself to an insomnia-busting snack, settle down on a good bed in a well-ventilated, quiet and dark room. You'll soon be sleeping like a baby. Zzzzzz.