The Worst Foods For Sleep

February 26, 2013 Subscribe · Forward The Worst Foods For Sleep A glass of warm milk, a cup of chamomile tea, a few slices of tryptophan-laced turkey breast -- a number of foods are at least rumored to help us drift off to sleep. But, besides the obvious (hello, 4 p.m. Starbucks run), could there be foods that are actually keeping us up at night? For the most part, the research surrounding sleep and diet focuses on how your sleep patterns affect what -- and how much -- you eat, says Kelly Glazer Baron, Ph.D., M.P.H, a sleep researcher and neurology instructor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. We know that too little sleep clouds our food judgement and that the most sleep-deprived among us are likely to serve ourselves larger portions. We also know that both too little and too much sleep can lead to weight gain, for the reasons above and more. Still, says Baron, "we've known for a long time that there are foods that promote or inhibit sleep." Of course, no one food or drink is likely to cure a true sleep disorder, like insomnia. But there are some foods that, when consumed too close to bedtime, could be stealing your slumber. Here are some of the worst offenders. Continue reading... Find Your Center: Kathy Freston's Simple Mantra Meditation Flexible Work Is Healthy, Studies Show Sleep Deprivation Can Change Your Genes 11 Common Health Dilemmas, Solved 11 Tricks To Waking Up In The Morning The State With The Highest Teen Pregnancy Rate Is ... 11 Tricks To Waking Up In The Morning 11 Tricks To Waking Up In The Morning The Worst Foods For Sleep Does A Mediterranean Diet Really Beat Low-Fat For Heart Health? MARK HYMAN, MD Why Cooking Can Save Your Life The cure for what ails us -- both in our bodies and in our nation -- can be found in the kitchen. It is a place to rebuild community and connection, strengthen bonds with family and friends, teach life-giving skills to our children, and enrich and nourish our bodies and our souls. Continue reading... ED AND DEB SHAPIRO Making Friends With Your Fear Doing anything outside of our experience is a plunge, especially stepping into places that we resist or are fearful of. The added ingredient of meditation enables us to step beyond our boundaries and deepens the experience of inclusivity. Continue reading... JEFF CANNON 5 Simple Stress-Managing Practices The real answer to living your life in balance and with a healthy sense of calm is not about spending more time on the mat or on a meditation pillow, but taking your practice off the pillow and bringing it into your everyday life. Continue reading... JOHN WHYTE, M.D., MPH Supercharge Your Day With Superfoods We used to think that "a calorie is a calorie" and all foods basically impacted our bodies the same way. We now know that's not true. In fact, there are some foods that are truly super -- they pack the biggest nutritional bang even in small portions and help fight diseases. Continue reading... WILLIAM HORDEN 4 Lessons From Spring Every change of season evokes emotions, but spring, charging out of winter's cold dark with renewed life and brighter days, seems our most beloved. New hopes bloom like flowers springing back from roots we feared lost to numbing ice. Continue reading... Received this from a friend? Sign up for alerts from The Huffington Post here Unsubscribe here.