In order to lead a healthy life, it is important to make healthy food choices and engage in physical activities. Exercising daily can provide our body with a lot of benefits. However, there is a common belief that exercise in evening may deteriorate one's sleep quality. According to a study, conducted by researchers from the Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, engaging in physical activity for four hours before going to bed does not have a negative impact on sleep cycle. The scientists concluded that "If doing sport in the evening has any effect on sleep quality at all, it's rather a positive effect, albeit only a mild one."
Data from various studies was combined by the researchers and the findings showed that in the night after study participants engaged in some physical activity in the evening, 21.2 percent of their sleeping time was in deep sleep phase. Deep sleep phase plays a crucial role in our sleep cycle as it helps in physical recovery. Other than this, following an evening without any physical activity, the average figure was 19.9 percent. However, intense and vigorous training within an hour before going to bed stands out to be as a limitation and exception to this rule.
There are various foods and drinks that can help induce sleep to a great extent. Here is a list of three such foods:
Banana
Banana contains tryptophan, an amino acid that is known to help you sleep better. Other than this, it contains potassium and magnesium in good amounts; both these nutrients act as natural relaxants.
Warm Milk
A glassful of warm milk can do wonders for our overall health. Not only is it an excellent source of calcium, but also contains tryptophan that eventually converts into serotonin, which is said to have a calming effect in the brain.
Cherries
Loading up on a handful of cherries in a day may help you get sound sleep, thanks to its melatonin content. According to the book, 'The Complete Book Of Ayurvedic Home Remedies' by Dr. Vasant Lad, "Cherries are good for mental fatigue and stress."
Add these three foods in your daily diet and have a sound sleep.