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Getting a good night's sleep is important for your body, but it is equally as important for your brain. Both need enough sleep--and good sleep--to recuperate and sometimes re-generate. You've seen what it can do for an exhausted body. But you don't necessarily see what it does for your brain. It is similar though. Your brain too, needs sleep. Without it, it is harder to learn and concentrate, and that is true for any age.

The nutritional value of these foods might have an obvious effect on your sleep. Most are known to be good for much more than that though. Besides being good for heart health, nearly all the foods listed here are recommended for Alzheimer's prevention as well. So not only will you get a better night's sleep (also important for Alzheimer's prevention), but you will be providing your body with safeguards that may help you in the years to come.

This applies to everyone. The earlier to start improving and maintaining your health, through sleep, exercise, and diet, the better your chances are to avoid dementia or Alzheimer's. Start now!

Most of the foods recommended contain either tryptophan, melatonin, vitamin B6, or calcium. So when you are deciding what's for dinner, try to include one or more of the suggested foods.

Skip these...

At your evening meal.

First off, it would help to avoid these! You probably already know most of them, and how they affect your body and your sleeps.

Chocolate, dark especially, because of the caffeine in it. While it is the healthiest and most recommended chocolate for your heart, it just isn't the best for night time. Coffee and any other caffeinated drinks should be avoided as well.

You might think alcohol helps you sleep. Many believe it. While it might make you go to sleep faster, as it metabolizes it will cause you to toss and turn. Notice how that happens after a few hours? I sure have. If I have even one glass of wine I feel like I am awake half the night. If I sleep, it is definitely not the deep restful type. Women are reportedly more affected than men. Alcohol interferes with the REM sleep that is so important to your brain for memory and focus. It also increases indigestion and acid reflux, which can keep you awake. Lastly it may cause you to need to urinate more often, waking you.

Besides that, it doesn't mix well with many medications, which can also cause a more restless sleep. Of course mixed with some medication it can have the opposite affect--you could stop breathing.

High fat meals often interrupts your normal sleep cycle, which can then leave you more tired the next day. That can become a spiral. When you wake tired or run down, you tend to want foods high in sugar.

Spicy food can be bad for sleep partly because of heartburn and indigestion, but also because it actually raises the body temperature at a time when it is usually dropping.

High protein foods, partly because of the bulkiness of it, partly because it takes longer to digest. Again that can cause you discomfort and unrest.

It's also suggested that you stop eating 2 or 3 hours before you go to bed.