I am a big advocate of getting enough sleep.  This is key in feeling great and managing body shape yet many of us struggle to get a good 7-8 hours in.  Lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your moods, your waistline and your health so it is a good idea to spend a little time looking at how you can make some small changes to improve your sleep.

Try these food sleep savers;

1. Eat foods on a regular basis throughout the day

Energy needs to be replenished in your body after sleeping as believe it or not, your body uses energy when you sleep ,so it is key to have breakfast and then have 4-5 mini meals throughout your day. Eating food on a regular basis like this ensures your body and brain maintain the right balance of hormones and neurotransmitters which are essential for getting to sleep and staying asleep at night.

2. Eat your carbs for dinner.Yes, really.

Foods that are higher on the glycemic index such as rice, pasta and other carbohydrates help our body’s produce an amino acid that make us sleepy.   Make sure you leave 2-3 hours between eating and going to sleep to allow enough time for digestion.

3. Watch the caffeine 

Caffeine can stay in our systems for up to 12 hours, so that afternoon flat white could be what’s keeping you up at night. Try a herbal tea such as green tea in the afternoon instead as there is much less caffeine and it gives you a great boost of healthy antioxidants. Studies have shown that not having caffeine for a single day can improve sleep quality that night.