10 Foods for a Good Night's Sleep
About 90 minutes before bedtime, have a snack. Keep it light, around 200 calories. Include one or two foods from the list below:

• Bananas
• Chamomile tea
• Warm milk
• Honey - put a little in your warm milk or herb tea
• Potatoes - small baked potato or mash the potato with warm milk
• Oatmeal - a small bowl
• Almonds - a small handful
• Flaxseeds - sprinkle 2 tablespoons ground up flaxseeds on your bedtime oatmeal
• Whole wheat bread - have a slice of toast with your tea and honey
• Turkey - put a lean slice or two on some whole wheat bread

Some Cautions of Chamomile
There are reports of rare allergic reactions in people who have eaten or come into contact with chamomile products.
Reactions include skin rashes, throat swelling, shortness of breath, and anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction).
People are more likely to experience allergic reactions to chamomile if they are allergic to related plants in the daisy family, which includes ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and daisies.

I don't think potatoes sound good right before going to bed, but I could do a banana and a cup of tea. I might try that next time I really want to get a good night's sleep.

Yeah, I agree about the potato. I tried the oatmeal last night with some honey on it, and I did sleep a bit better than I usually do.

Really? You could tell that you got a better night's sleep?

Better than I usually get, yeah, really!!

The article I was reading said that:

Bananas are practically a sleeping pill in a peel. In addition to a bit of soothing melatonin and serotonin, bananas contain magnesium, a muscle relaxant.

Chamomile tea is a staple of bedtime tea blends because of its mild sedating effect, which makes it the perfect natural antidote for restless minds and bodies.

Warm milk has some tryptophan, an amino acid that has a sedative-like effect, and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan.

Honey - lots of sugar is stimulating, but a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that's linked to alertness.

Potatoes won't overwhelm your gastrointestinal tract as it clears away acids that can interfere with yawn-inducing tryptophan. To up the soothing effect, mash the potato with warm milk.

Oatmeal - oats are a rich source of sleep-inviting melatonin, and a small bowl of warm cereal with a splash of maple syrup is cozy -- and if you've got the munchies, it's filling, too.

Almonds, a handful of these heart-healthy nuts can send you snoozing because they contain both tryptophan and a nice dose of muscle-relaxing magnesium.

Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural mood lifter.

Whole-wheat bread will release insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it's converted to serotonin and quietly murmurs "time to sleep."

Turkey is the best-known source of tryptophan. Tryptophan works when your stomach's basically empty rather than overstuffed and when there are some carbs around rather than tons of protein. So, like the post says above, put a lean slice or two on some whole-wheat bread and you've got one of the best sleep-inducers in your kitchen.

I'm usually a green tea drinker, but I've also heard good things about Chamomile tea. I think I might pick some up the next time I am at the store. I wonder what the flavor is like and if I'll like it...

I thought it tasted awful when I tried it...

Oh, now I'm afraid of not liking it!

Do you like the taste of green tea?

never tried green tea- i rarely drink ordinary tea at all these days. I drink Rooibos, or 'redbush' tea. I started drinking it when I completely gave up caffeine for a few months- I liked it so much I still drink it.

I've never heard of Rooibos, or 'redbush' tea. What is the flavor like? Are they any health benefits in drinking it?

I like the flavour, though i drink it without milk (as I do ordinary tea). Try it with and without, see what you prefer.

I hadn't looked into the health benefits of it at all, save for he fact it contains no caffeine, but a cursory search seems to show there are a few. Here's an article: http://www.teabenefits.com/rooibos-tea-benefits.html There are also links to several more articles at the bottom of that one.

I don't drink any teas with milk, so I'd probably give Rooibos a try without milk too. Next time I'm at the store in the tea isle, I'm going to check it out.

Speaking of Rooibos tea... I was reading an article in the Reader's Digest and I came across a blurb about Rooibos tea! The article was about what other countries do to maintain their weight... In South Africa, apparently rooibos tea is enjoyed throughout the country. The article says rooibos tea is more robust than green tea and because it is naturally sweet, it doesn't need sugar to taste good.

Now I am really interested in trying some of this tea and seeing if I like the taste!

I keep reading that it's naturally sweet. I disagree. It's not bitter like black tea, but definitely not what I'd call sweet...