Potatoes: Bake them. Mash them. Boil them. Roast them. Grill them. Stew them.

They are DELICIOUS.

Then, it hits you. You start to feel a bit drowsy, as if a slow mid-afternoon’s cat nap is the perfect way to recharge for a busy night. While few people could argue with a nap, it’s an odd urge to have pop up at random.

Was it the trouble sleeping last night?

Maybe one of the kids had a nightmare?

An early start to a hectic morning?

Truthfully… it was probably the potatoes.

Potatoes: The #1 Food to Make You Sleepy at Night

If you have trouble sleeping at night, try treating yourself to a serving of potatoes with every late dinner! Potatoes are loaded with carbohydrates, which actually cause you to become sleepy as they are digested and metabolized. We will dive into the science of that very shortly, but there is a big reason potatoes come out ahead of many other carb heavy foods:

• They are unprocessed vegetables with no added sugar.

Many other high carbohydrate foods cannot compare with this healthier option, including pastas, pastries, candies, breads, and cakes. They are filled to the brim with added sugars, dyes, artificial flavors, and more preservatives than you would ever care to know about.

How Do the Carbohydrates In Potatoes Make You Sleep Better at Night, Fighting Insomnia?

When your body takes in a surplus of carbohydrates, which potatoes are rich in, it begins to break down and utilize the nutrient very, very quickly. Carbohydrates are one of the first nutrients to break down, and they begin to enter the bloodstream as soon as 20 minutes after you begin eating! This initial rush of blood sugar will boost energy for a short time, allowing you to finish up your nightly routine (such as taking a shower, walking your dog, or brushing your teeth). Within an hour or so, blood sugar levels begin to stabilize, and you enter into the “crash.” At this point, you may notice that you are far more tired than you were before eating. This is an optimal time to hit the sheets and get a great night’s sleep.

Steak and Potatoes: The Tryptophan and Serotonin Cocktail That’ll Help You Drift Off!

Alright, so maybe any protein will do, but why not give you one more reason to enjoy a delicious, tender rib-eye steak with your roasted garlic red potatoes?

Protein rich foods contain tryptophan, which encourage that sleepy feeling. In turn, carbohydrates help you to produce serotonin, which is responsible for happiness. Ever notice that carbohydrate rich foods just make you feel good?

Anyways, when these two chemicals combine, it’s a sleepy time cocktail. The increase in both chemicals allows tryptophan to be utilized more readily by the brain, compounding that sleepy feeling that the blood sugar crash has already caused. Any good meat and potatoes meal can leave you feeling cozy and sleepy, from the simple and delectable roast beef with tender veggies to a hearty and warm winter time stew.