Potatoes before bed (+Are they good for you?)
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OptimistMinds
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Author bio
The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
This article will discuss if potatoes are a portion of good food for you to have before going to bed. It will explain what it can cause you, the benefits and the downside, and what other foods can improve your sleep quality.
Are potatoes before bed healthy?
In the chaotic life, people have nowadays, many people can find that the quality of their sleep is not good enough. You may have trouble falling asleep, wake up many times during the night, or wake up already tired. All of those can impact the quality of your day.
If you feel you need to focus some attention on the quality of your sleep, look no further. You may find it strange, but potatoes might be the answer. It is scientifically proven that having them before going to bed can improve your sleep, and in consequence your overall quality of life.
Let’s discuss what are the benefits of having yourself some baked potatoes before going to bed.
What are the upsides of potatoes before bed?
Potatoes are good for your sleep because they are complex carbohydrates, and a form of food that is called starch-based, other examples are pasta, and rice. Those types of foods improve the release of serotonin making your brain calmer.
Potatoes are also a great source of potassium, which will allow your muscles to relax. They have magnesium as well, which causes the GABA secretion to the brain, this neurotransmitter is great to allow you to relax.
Because they are complex carbohydrates, they release the energy slowly, which will allow you to feel satisfied for a long time after eating, giving you the energy you need for when your body goes through the fasting period.
Finally, potatoes are rich in vitamin B6, which are great not only in improving the release of serotonin but also in impacting the release of melatonin, a known sleep hormone.
They work completely differently from foods that are high in saturated fat and sugar, but low in fiber, like most fast foods, and highly processed ones. Those can generate lighter sleep, making it less restorative. Foods that are high on protein are the same, they can make the quality of your sleep a lot worse.
So you might ask how you should have your potatoes before bed. The best thing to do is to make it a part of your dinner. Keep in mind you should have your dinner around 3 hours before you go to bed. This will give you time to digest it, you shouldn’t go to bed on a full stomach.
Try to have a balanced diet, with fat, protein, and carbohydrates, and you can put baked potatoes as a part of it. But be careful, there are also some downsides to eating potatoes before bed. Let’s discuss what they are.
What are the downsides of potatoes before bed?
If you eat potatoes before bed, be aware that, even though it has many benefits, they can have their downside. The first thing to be careful of is watching your weight.
Although it is still up for discussion, some doctors say that your metabolism can slow down while you are sleeping, so eating foods that are somewhat heavier, such as potatoes, can make it hard for your body to burn the calories that come from it.
Another thing that should be taken into consideration is to not overeat at dinner. If you end up eating a lot of potatoes, since it is digested slowly, it can give you heartburn, indigestion, and sometimes even acid reflux. So take into consideration the time you will go to bed to decide your dinner time.
What are other foods that can improve my sleep?
If you don’t like potatoes or need to mix them up, know that It is not only potatoes that can improve your sleep. Let’s discuss what other 5 foods you can have to improve your sleep.
Cherrie and yogurt
Cherrie, aside from being delicious, is a great source of melatonin. This famous sleep hormone tells your body it is time to relax. If you take them with yogurt, such as greek yogurt, you will enhance your level of calcium. All those companies will give you a boost or your melatonin level, granting a great night of sleep.
Assorted nuts
Many nuts like pistachio and almonds can be great to help you sleep better. They are extremely rich in magnesium and potassium. Both of those are important to help you relax, and release melatonin, the sleep hormone. They are also rich in vitamin B6, which, as said before, improves the serotonin level.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is a great way for you to get something sweet but also get something healthy. But when it comes to sleeping, it can be great. They will work on releasing serotonin, and other endorphins which will allow you to relax. But just remember to not overdo it.
Avocado on whole-grain toast
In your day-to-day life, you can think potassium will come mostly from bananas. But avocado can boost your potassium, reaching around 10% of your daily needs, which will allow your muscles to relax. Aside from that, they can make you feel satisfied since they release a lot of healthy fat.
Joining it with a whole-grain toast will give you the carbohydrates, and fiber. you need.
Warm milk
Although it might sound just like a grandmother’s theory, warm milk really can help you sleep better. The calcium in it helps your brain use the tryptophan to produce melatonin, which is famously known as the sleep hormone.
If you are not one to have a big glass of milk, you can have some cottage cheese with honey or fruit. Any sort of milk will improve your calcium.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Are potatoes before bed healthy?
Do potatoes help anxiety?
Sweet potatoes can improve anxiety, they are rich in antioxidants, especially beta-carotene, which reduces the damage to the brain cells, it also helps reduce the oxidative stress on DNA, which is also related to anxiety.
Sweet potatoes are also rich in iron, which improves the production of serotonin, causing people to feel happier. Eating sweet potatoes can also improve your level of selenium. When a person is lacking selenium they may develop anxiety.
What are good foods to fight depression?
Some types of food can help you when you are dealing with depression. The first one is leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, or swiss chard. They fight the toxins in your body, help you feed your gut, and build enzymes.
Blueberries that are full of antioxidants can improve your cognitive brain function, they also improve your mood. Salmon is also rich in antioxidants which protect the brain and the nervous system. Aside from that, it fights inflammation, which is usually related to depression.
Dark chocolate improves your overall health. It has a high level of antioxidants, and it improves the person’s mood, improving the symptoms of depression. Bananas, which are easy snacks, are full of serotonin, which will balance your mood.
Walnuts are also full of antioxidants, and the same as blueberries, and salmon, can fight information, and improve the symptoms of depression.
Why are potato chips addictive?
If you ever tried, you know it is impossible to eat just one potato chip. They are the perfect combination between salt and fat. And in a study that showed what type of food would rodents prefer: chow, potato chips, or a mix of far and carbohydrates. It was discovered that most of them preferred potato chips.
This is because once you eat a salty thing, it gives you a sense of pleasure. After all, it triggers the release of dopamine. Once you have the first taste, it is hard to not want some more. So you should be aware when you start to eat potato chips, or not eat them as often, since they are not the healthiest of foods.
How can I lose belly fat?
Having a lot of fat in your belly can be a risk factor to developing many diseases such as type 2 diabetes, or even some heart conditions. That is why it is so important to take care. Let’s discuss 5 ways you can lose belly fat. The first way to do that is by eating a lot of fiber.
If you eat a lot of soluble fiber, once you drink water, it forms a gel that will help the food pass through the digestive system. It will not only help your digestion, but it can help you feel more full. Good examples of soluble fibers are flaxseed, Brussels sprouts, and blackberries.
You might also want to avoid eating food that contains trans fats. They cause inflammation, heart disease, and abdominal fat gain. Margarine is an example of a food that contains trans fat. To lose some belly fat you may also want to reduce your alcohol consumption and have a high protein diet.
A diet rich in protein raises your metabolic rate and helps you retain muscle mass while you are losing weight. Good sources of protein are meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and beans.
Reducing your stress level can also be beneficial. If you have a high-stress level, you will have a lot of cortisol in your body, which increases your appetite and makes your body store fat, since it thinks you might be in a dangerous situation.
What causes a big stomach in women?
Some factors can cause you to develop belly fat. The first one is a poor diet. If you don’t eat well, meaning a lot of carbohydrates and sugar, and not a lot of protein and vitamins can cause you to develop belly fat.
Aside from that, drinking too much alcohol, and not exercising can make you store a lot of fat in your belly. Once you exercise, the first place you will lose fat is from your belly. Aside from that, stress will make your body think you are in a dangerous situation, so it will store the fat in your belly.
Having belly fat can also be genetic, which leads some people to have a higher chance of developing obesity. Poor sleep can also hurt your weight. It can increase your appetite, and cause you to not eat healthily.
Conclusion
This article discussed if potatoes are a healthy food to eat before bed. Aside from that, the article showed what are other foods that can improve the quality of your sleep.
If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to write it in the section below.
References
https://www.leesa.com/article/eating-before-bed-pros-and-cons
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