The best foods to beat insomnia during the pandemic

Insomnia

is a problem that has affected thousands of people during the lockdown caused by the new coronavirus, best known as COVID-19. According to experts from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), our usual sleep cycle is most likely affected by the coronavirus lockdown since we do not have our regular activities, such as going every day from our homes to our work, the reduction of our physical activity since many of us are staying in order to protect ourselves from the new coronavirus, spending more time using our electronic devices – which you must constantly disinfect to avoid contracting the new disease - , and taking naps during the day since we now have more free time.

Therefore, it is highly important to establish well-planned daily routines during the pandemic and stick to them as best as we can so that our sleeping schedule is nor further affected, even if we do not always feel like going to bed or waking up at the same time or if we are spending more virtual time with our friends through videoconferencing.

In case you are struggling with sleeplessness, there are some foods that can help you improve your sleep cycle during the lockdown. All you have to do is to include them in your daily diet. Here are some of them.

Chocolate.

According to a study carried out by the University of Edinburgh and the University of Cambridge in the U.K., eating small portions of chocolate before going to bed can help us sleep better since it contains magnesium, a nutrient that helps regulate our sleep cycle.

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Milk

Drinking a glass of warm milk will help us sleep better for it contains tryptophan, a substance that, according to the Chemical Safety Facts, helps create serotonin, which is also known as the sleep hormone.

Cedron

Cedron helps improve the sleep cycle since, according to a study made by the Miguel de Cervantes University in Spain, people who drink this tea regularly have better sleep cycles since it contains a natural relaxing substance

Bananas

This fruit is a good source of tryptophan which, as we already mentioned, helps produce serotonin that helps us sleep better. In addition, it is rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that help us maintain good health.

Chamomile

Drinking a chamomile tea by night will help us fight insomnia since it has relaxing, anti-inflammatory, antiallergenic, and sedating properties, so it is a good remedy to relax after a stressful day to be able to sleep faster and better.

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More tips to sleep well

Experts say it is normal for people to experience insomnia during the quarantine. Anxiety and stress caused by the current situation can prevent you from sleeping at night.

Lauri Loewenberg, an expert in dream analysis and a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, adds that people could also have nightmares that express their anguish during the coronavirus pandemic .

Some tips that could help you sleep better during the coronavirus pandemic include doing cardio since it could help you rest more than relaxing activities like yoga; sleeping half an hour less, since the body will strengthen the sleeping mechanism at night; writing down your concerns so as to prevent nightmares and channel your frustrations; disconnecting yourself before going to sleep from anything that is related to work or news and choosing to read a book or watch a movie instead, creating a new customized sleep routine for best productivity; reducing the brightness of lighting by the end of the day and choosing dimmer alternatives; monitoring your diet for it is best not to go to sleep neither hungry nor after eating a lot; and being careful with what you drink.

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