8 Foods That Increase The Quality Of Your Sleep

As a trucker, a restful night’s sleep is not just a luxury — it is essential for keeping you and everyone else out on the road safe.

But the challenges of a driver’s schedule can make quality sleep hard to come by. And the trucker lifestyle doesn’t help either — too much caffeine, not enough exercise, and excess stress can all make it hard for you to get the rest you need.

Fortunately, there are some foods that have been proven to help improve the quality of your sleep, which, in turn, can make every mile you drive a little bit safer.

Foods That Can Get You A Better Night’s Sleep

1. Walnuts. Not only are walnuts easy to eat on the go, they also contain tryptophan, a chemical that helps regulate your sleep cycle.
2. Tart cherry juice. You can find tart cherry juice with just a little searching at most grocery stores — and the effort is worth it if you struggle with sleep. This beverage is naturally high in melatonin, making it a great choice for before-bedtime drinking.
3. Bananas. Readily available at truck stops, bananas contain magnesium and potassium to relax your muscles and help you get better rest.
4. Cheese and crackers. This tasty snack turns out to be ideal for improving your sleep — the cracker’s carbs encourage sleepiness while cheddar cheese contains more snooze-inducing tryptophan than turkey.
5. Decaf green tea. Decaf green tea is easy to buy or brew on the road and it contains theanine, a compound which increases calm.
6. Milk. Lack of calcium can mess with your sleep, so a glass of milk before bed can really make a difference towards improving your sleep.
7. Lettuce. A green salad for dinner can improve your odds of better sleep because lettuce contains lactucarium, a compound which in large quantities can induce sleepiness in a similar manner to opium.
8. Honey. A tablespoon of this sweet substance raises your insulin levels just enough to let tryptophan work more effectively in your brain, improving the quality of your sleep.

Sources:
Reader’s Digest
Prevention
AARP