Monday, nasi lemak.
Tuesday, curry laksa.
Wednesday, banana leaf rice.
Thursday, Tomyam Noodles.
Friday, Japanese buffet.
Saturday, Spaghetti Marinara.
Sunday, McDonald’s.
We get it. It’s difficult to eat healthy in this country. The key to a healthy lifestyle is to have your meals before 8 pm but what with yum cha invitations to 24 hour mamaks every other day, late night footie matches with your man and the need to snack everytime the telly is on, how on earth do you stay healthy?
If you’re always finding difficulty to fall asleep at night or feel lethargic during the day, you might want to rethink what you’re consuming during the night. What you eat can affect your sleep and cause you to stay awake longer than usual. After all, we eat for energy and there’s no way to rid excess energy at night because we work less. What we eat affects our hormones.
However, not all midnight snacks are bad for you. In fact there are some people who need to eat to help them sleep. Food that are moderately rich in melatonin and carbohydrates promote the secretion of serotonin which is a sleep inducing hormone. Hot and spicy food can cause you to stay awake longer while cold, light dishes can relax you and make you feel sleepy very quickly. If you’re feeling the need for a bite during the wee hours of the night, why not indulge in some non fattening DIY snacks?
Yogurt and Cucumber Salad
Slice some cucumber sticks and use yogurt or mayo as a lovely cool dip.
Oats with Milk
Stir in some oats into warm milk and add a spoonful of honey to the mix. Add some sliced bananas for that extra bite.
Brown Rice Pudding
The nutritions of brown rice are endless. Prepare this pudding in skimmed milk during the day and refridgerate. Take a full bowl before sleep and you’ll feel great upon waking up the following morning.
Fruit Salad
Sweet, healthy, fresh and great for diabetics. Throw in cubed oranges, guavas, watermelons, apples and pineapples into a large bowl and snack away. The best part is that you don’t have to worry about when to stop munching.
Banana Shake
Bubble teas and iced lattes contain way too much sugar and caffeine for your own good. If you’re craving for something creamy and sweet without packing on the calories, try a banana shake instead. Add some cold milk to a few bananas and blend them together. Try it every other night and see the difference in your sleep!
Baked Sweetcorn
Get a can of sweetcorn and bake it in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Add some spices, a dash of pepper and some lemon juice and snack away!
Try out these snacks in the evenings and your bedtime will never be the same. Do remember to avoid alcohol, caffeine and chocolates unless you’re planning to burn the midnight oil. Sleeping early is important as your cells renew themselves during the hours of 11pm to 1am daily. Eat well, sleep well!
