For those who aren’t familiar, marmite is a typically polarising breakfast spread that contains yeast extract. Its high magnesium content earns it a place in this sleep-inducing snack. A recent study published in Authority Nutrition reveals that magnesium regulates the neurotransmitters responsible for managing the wellbeing of your nervous system and brain and that, in many ways, it works in the same way that a sleeping pill does. Lettuce has been historically used as a natural sedative, while the high magnesium and potassium content in bananas help to relax stressed muscles. Bananas also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that’s used by your body to make serotonin and melatonin (which affects your sleep-wake cycle), explains nutritionist and lifestyle educator Karishma Chawla.

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Pre-bedtime snacks

If you, like many others, aren’t a fan of marmite, Chawla suggests simple but equally effective alternatives. The first involves rolling an organic banana in 1/8th tsp of pink Himalayan salt. She recommends eating this with seven to 10 raw cashews. “This snack helps your body to produce serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter. This can be especially helpful if you tend to wake up with your heart pounding or mind racing between 1 am and 4 am — your body is experiencing a spike of cortisol, a stress hormone, in response to a dip in insulin levels,” she explains.

Karishma Chawla

Alternatively, prepare a freshly-brewed cup of banana tea by cutting the top and bottom off a ripe banana, and boiling the middle part of the fruit (with the peel) in water for eight to 10 minutes. You could add a dash of cinnamon to the brew for flavour, Chawla suggests. And finally, the age-old technique of consuming turmeric milk at bedtime can also help, if you are not sensitive to lactose. “Turmeric has been shown to help with oxidative damage and sleep deprivation. It can reduce anxiety and also help suppress inflammation,” she adds.

“Ideally, if you are eating regular balanced meals throughout the day, with plenty of complex carbohydrates and adequate protein, you shouldn’t have to rely on a pre-bedtime snack. In fact, eating too close to bedtime can interfere with your liver’s detox process and hamper the quality of your sleep by activating your digestive system,” Chawla cautions. She recommends going to bed by 10 pm, since your liver typically undergoes a natural detoxification process in the interval between 10 pm and 2 pm.  “Even if you do need a pre-bedtime snack, make sure to consume this at least a couple of hours before you go to sleep, to give your body enough time to digest the food,” she concludes.