Heat takes sleep away from 12 million Italians, here are the tricks to sleep

The arrival of the big heat is keeping some 12 million Italians awake and suffering from insomnia. This is what Coldiretti says in stressing that to ensure quieter nights in the next ten days marked by the African heat wave, it is important to prepare and not make mistakes in nutrition.

FOODS TO PREFERE – Foods such as bread, pasta and rice, as well as lettuce, radicchio, onion, garlic and fresh cheese, boiled eggs, warm fresh milk and sweet fruits such as peaches and nectarines – Coldiretti stresses – can come to the rescue to get through the nights of passion.

TO AVOID – Instead, it is foods seasoned with a lot of pepper and salt, but also with curry, paprika in abundance and also potato chips in bags, pretzels, canned foods and soups with cooking cube – continues Coldiretti – the real enemies of rest that high temperatures make more difficult.

Beware, however, also of coffee and hard liquor that often accompany evenings with friends in vacation spots and also of canned foods that provide convenience for tourists who do not want to waste time in food preparation but that – Coldiretti points out – are considered a “risk” for those who want to spend the night peacefully in the arms of Morpheus.

Attention to nutrition is particularly important in at-risk individuals such as the elderly and children: one hardly falls asleep on an empty stomach or otherwise not full, but also in cases of overeating, particularly with heavy foods or with exciting substances. The trick to sleep is to choose foods that – Coldiretti highlights – contain an amino acid, tryptophan, which promotes the synthesis of serotonin, the neuromediator of well-being and the brain neurotransmitter that stimulates relaxation.

Serotonin increases with the consumption of foods with simple sugars such as seasonal sweet fruit while among vegetables – Coldiretti still recalls – in first place is lettuce followed by radicchio, onion and garlic, because their strong sedative properties conciliate sleep. A glass of fresh warm milk, just before bedtime, not only decreases stomach acidity that can interrupt sleep, but also brings in elements during digestion that promote a good night’s sleep. Finally – concludes Coldiretti – a good treat rich in simple carbohydrates has an anti-stress action, as do infusions and herbal teas sweetened with honey that create an atmosphere of relaxation and pleasure that relaxes the mind.