The secret to getting a solid 7-8 hours? About 90 minutes before you want to nod off, head for the kitchen for a sleepy-time snack from the list below. (Keep it light—around 200 calories so you don’t overload your digestive system.) All help to relax tense muscles, quiet buzzing minds, and/or get calming, sleep-inducing hormones -- serotonin and melatonin -- flowing. Yawning yet?

Bananas: They’re 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: Chamomile 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: It’s not a myth. Milk has some tryptophan, an amino acid that has a sedative-like effect, and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan. Plus, there’s the psychological throwback to infancy, when a warm bottle meant "relax, everything’s fine."

Honey: Drizzle a little in your warm milk or herb tea. 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: A small baked spud 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: When life goes awry, and feeling down is keeping you up, try sprinkling 2 tablespoons of these healthy little seeds on your bedtime oatmeal. They’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural mood lifter.

Whole-Wheat Bread: A slice of toast with your tea and honey will release insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it’s converted to serotonin and quietly murmurs "time to sleep."

Turkey: It’s the best source of tryptophan. Put a lean slice or two on some whole-wheat bread mid-evening and you’ve got one of the best sleep-inducers in your kitchen.


LULLABY MUFFINS
Between the bananas, the whole wheat, and the light touch of sweetness, these muffins are practically an edible lullaby.

2 C whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 large, very ripe bananas
1/3 C applesauce
1/4 C honey
1/2 C milk or soymilk

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour (make sure it’s whole-wheat pastry flour or you’ll produce golf balls, not muffins), salt, and baking powder. In blender, puree bananas; add applesauce, honey, and milk. Blend well. Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Line muffin tins with paper muffin cups: add batter. Bake 30 minutes or until tops are lightly brown and slightly springy. Makes 12 low-fat muffins.

Nutrition Facts
Per serving: 119 calories; 1g fat; 2.5g protein; 27g carbohydrate; 10g sugar; 133mg sodium; 3g fiber; 35mg magnesium