Revealed: The foods to eat for a PERFECT night's sleep

• Five foods can help you get better sleep, according to National Geographic Food
• You should avoid caffeine, alcohol, and spicy or fatty foods
• Instead eat foods rich in magnesium and sleep-inducing tryptophan 

Insomnia is a real affliction affecting millions of us everyday, with the average person in the UK losing a whole night's worth of sleep every week.

But experts say you could improve your chances of getting a decent night's shut-eye by eating the right foods.

National Geographic Food has revealed in its new magazine the five foods everyone should eat regularly to put an end to insomnia.

And they include the divisive yeast extract, Marmite. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-5077617/What-eat-PERFECT-night-s-sleep.html

SEVEN hours of sleep is the best - and more than eight is 'hazardous' to health'

• 'Lowest mortality and morbidity is with seven hours', says sleep expert
• Those who sleep more than eight have memory and decision problems
• People who slept in Stone Age-like conditions only got 7.2 hours on average

In an age where we're busier than ever and bombarded with information 24/7, many of us complain we don't get enough sleep. But getting too much shut-eye could actually be bad for your health, an expert has warned.

'The lowest mortality and morbidity is with seven hours,' says Shawn Youngstedt, a professor at Arizona State University Phoenix who studies sleep duration. 

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Rest: Seven hours of sleep is the best amount for your health - and more could be harmful, a sleep expert has declared

'But eight hours or more has consistently been shown to be hazardous,' he told the Wall Street Journal. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2702598/SEVEN-hours-sleep-best-eight-hazardous-health.html

Think about your heart... and have a weekend lie-in because it will cut your stroke risk

There's no reason to feel guilty if you enjoyed an extra hour in bed this morning – a weekend lie-in is good for your heart.

A study found it can reduce the risk of high blood pressure – a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes – by up to 39 per cent.

But catching up on your sleep only boosts your health if you are deprived of sufficient rest during the week.

Scientists from hospitals and universities in South Korea recruited 2,782 adults and recorded details of their sleeping habits throughout the week, as well as whether they had high blood pressure.

Once they accounted for other factors that might trigger a rise in blood pressure – such as smoking or doing no exercise – the researchers were able to see precisely how sleep affected blood flow.

Those getting less than six hours a night during the week were 70 per cent more likely to have dangerously high readings compared to adults snoozing between seven and nine hours. You can read more at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2322798/Think-heart--weekend-lie-cut-stroke-risk.html

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2322798/Think-heart--weekend-lie-cut-stroke-risk.html#ixzz2UiFt9Q1E
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