To be a well-rounded healthy person, you must pay attention to all the different aspects of your life, whether it is fitness, food or sleep. All of them go hand-in-hand so you cannot neglect one or the other.

Many people often neglect their sleep in order to finish other important work. Losing sleep can be detrimental for your health, and if you are unable to sleep, you may be causing other issues for your health. When you are facing these issues, it is easy to get medication, but there are many side effects to them. There are many foods that can help you feel better and aid in your sleep. Although eating before you sleep is discouraged by healthcare professionals. These foods boost the serotonin in your body and help you fall asleep.

Role of Serotonin and Tryptophan

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps control your sleep. When you don't have enough serotonin, you might find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep. This is called insomnia. You can't get serotonin directly from food, but you can eat foods that have tryptophan. Tryptophan is a special building block that your body uses to make serotonin. It also helps make melatonin, another chemical that helps you sleep. So, eating foods with tryptophan can help your body make the sleep chemicals it needs. These chemicals help your brain and body know it's time to rest.

Foods That Boost Serotonin In Your Body

Banana & Almond Butter

This snack combines carbs, protein, and healthy fats for steady energy and sleep hormones. Almond butter stabilizes blood sugar, preventing waking up at odd hours, while bananas and almond butter relax muscles with magnesium and potassium, promoting calm and restful sleep.

Greek Yogurt with Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds

Yogurt improves sleep quality and supports gut health, which influences sleep. Tart cherries provide melatonin, and pumpkin seeds offer tryptophan and magnesium, working together to induce sleep and maintain it throughout the night.

Eggs

Eggs, especially yolks, boost tryptophan for serotonin production, aiding sleep. They are nutrient-packed with tyrosine, choline, biotin, and omega-3s, and their versatility makes them a convenient, healthy bedtime snack.

Cheese

Cheese is a tryptophan source, promoting relaxation and sleep. Mac and cheese combines cheese, eggs, and milk for a tasty sleep-friendly snack. Cheese also provides calcium, benefiting both sleep and bone health.

Edamame

Edamame offers tryptophan and isoflavones, improving sleep, especially for women. It's versatile, eaten plain or seasoned, and adding it to a snack mix enhances gut health, contributing to improved sleep quality.

Popcorn & Cashews

This high-fiber snack improves sleep; cashews provide tryptophan, and popcorn fights inflammation. The mix of carbs, fiber, healthy fats, and protein creates a well-rounded snack that supports both health and restful sleep.

Chia Pudding

Chia pudding's fiber supports gut health, aiding sleep. Chia seeds' magnesium and calcium help convert tryptophan to serotonin. Milk enhances calcium, further assisting sleep. Adding fruit and nuts boosts carbs and tryptophan for an even better sleep-promoting snack.

Salmon

Salmon provides tryptophan and omega-3s, aiding sleep and heart health. A frittata combines salmon, eggs, and milk for a nutrient-rich sleep snack. Salmon also balances cholesterol and lowers blood pressure, contributing to overall well-being and better sleep.

In India, vegetarian food is often considered a healthier choice, and many people believe that avoiding meat automatically reduces their risk of lifestyle diseases.

The traditional Indian vegetarian diet, rich in lentils, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, has long been seen as a cornerstone of good health. Yet India faces a staggering diabetes epidemic, with over 101 million people living with diabetes and millions more at the pre-diabetic stage. This contradiction is often called the "Indian vegetarian paradox". As doctors, we need to look beyond whether someone eats vegetarian or non-vegetarian food and understand what actually goes into their daily meals.

A person can follow a completely vegetarian diet and still be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This does not mean that vegetarian food is unhealthy. The root of the paradox lies not in vegetarianism itself, but in what makes up the contemporary Indian plate.

Traditional diets relied on complex carbohydrates, high fibre and unrefined grains. Modern eating habits have shifted heavily towards refined carbohydrates such as polished white rice, white flour (maida) and packaged snacks. Indian vegetarian cooking also often includes generous amounts of oil, ghee, full-fat dairy and sugar in sweets and beverages.

How The Modern Indian Vegetarian Plate Can Affect Blood Sugar

Consider a typical Indian meal. A large serving of rice or chapati, accompanied by a small portion of dal and limited vegetables, may look like a regular home-cooked meal.

However, if this pattern is repeated every day, the overall carbohydrate intake can become quite high. When the diet is also low in fibre and protein, it triggers sharp spikes in blood glucose after meals. Over time, these repeated spikes overwhelm the pancreatic beta cells and accelerate insulin resistance, making blood glucose harder to manage, particularly in people who already have insulin resistance.

Interestingly, the ICMR-INDIAB dietary study published in Nature Medicine in 2025, which analysed dietary patterns among 18,090 Indian adults, highlighted the high consumption of low-quality carbohydrates and relatively low protein intake in Indian diets. Its analysis also suggested that replacing a portion of carbohydrate intake with plant-based or dairy protein was associated with a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes.

Also read: Delhi Air Pollution: PM2.5 Exposure May Raise Type 2 Diabetes Risk By 16%, Study Finds

Why Switching To Millets Or Whole Wheat May Not Be Enough

Another misconception is that replacing white rice with millets or switching to whole wheat is enough to prevent diabetes. High-fibre millets and whole grains can certainly be part of a healthy diet, but the quantity consumed and the overall balance of the meal matter just as much. Simply changing the grain without addressing portion sizes may not make a significant difference.

We also need to pay attention to what people eat between meals. Biscuits, bakery products, packaged snacks and sweetened beverages are often considered harmless because they are vegetarian. However, many of these foods contain refined carbohydrates, added sugar, trans fats and excess calories.

Why Indians Can Develop Diabetes Even At Lower Body Weights

There is also an important Indian-specific concern. Diabetes does not affect only people who are visibly overweight.

South Asians have a distinct metabolic profile, with more fat around the abdominal organs, more fat deposited in the liver and lower muscle mass relative to body fat.

This makes them more susceptible to type 2 diabetes even at lower body weights and BMI levels. Family history, physical inactivity and poor sleep can further increase the risk.

How To Make A Vegetarian Diet More Diabetes-Friendly

The answer is not to give up vegetarian food. Instead, we should focus on improving the quality of the diet by returning to nutrient-dense, traditional patterns. Including adequate portions of dal, whole legumes, beans, non-starchy vegetables, curd, nuts and seeds, while moderating refined carbohydrates, trans fats and added sugars, can make everyday meals more balanced.

Being vegetarian is a dietary choice, but preventing diabetes requires a more thoughtful approach to what we eat, how much we eat and how consistently we maintain a healthy lifestyle. Plant-based nutrition remains powerful, but only when it is balanced for metabolic health.

By Dr Hiran S. Reddy, Consultant Physician, Diabetologist & Critical Care Specialist, Gleneagles Hospital, Lakdi-Ka-Pul, Hyderabad

From sugary mithai such as jalebi, gulab jamun, laddoo and barfi to fried foods such as puris and pakoras, Diwali is a time for gastronomic delight. While occasional indulgence is unlikely to cause lasting harm, overeating can strain the digestive system, health experts warn.

It can trigger acidity, bloating and indigestion. Excessive consumption of sugary foods can also affect blood sugar levels, particularly in people with diabetes.

Speaking to HealthandMe, two experts explain how festive overeating affects your body and how to ease digestive discomfort.

How Does Overeating Affect Your Digestive System?

Also read: Just Four Days Of High-Fat Diet May Increase Inflammation, Study Finds

Overeating stretches the stomach and may slow gastric emptying, particularly after fatty meals. This can cause heaviness, nausea and abdominal discomfort.

"Excessive consumption of samosas, kachoris, puris and rich gravies can cause heaviness, nausea, belching and abdominal discomfort," said Dr Parmeet Kaur, Chief Dietician, AIIMS.

Dr Ayush Dhingra, Chairman – Gastroenterology, Manipal Hospital, Gurugram, said large portions, eating too quickly and consuming excessive fried, fatty, spicy or sugary foods can trigger digestive discomfort.

Can Festive Binge Eating Trigger Acidity And Acid Reflux?

Large meals distend the stomach, while fatty foods can delay gastric emptying and worsen reflux. Excessive consumption of chole bhature, pakoras, spicy curries and late-night snacks can trigger heartburn, a sour taste in the mouth and the sensation of food coming back into the throat.

Dr Dhingra said an excessively full stomach can aggravate acid reflux. Recurring symptoms may indicate gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and require medical evaluation.

How Do Sweets And Fried Foods Affect Blood Sugar?

Read More: New International Food Pyramid Highlights Plant Foods, Counters Trump’s Meat-Heavy Diet Advice

Festive sweets such as jalebi, gulab jamun, laddoo and barfi can rapidly raise blood glucose levels, stimulating insulin secretion. Fried foods, including puris and pakoras, may prolong glucose elevations. Excessive fat intake can also temporarily reduce insulin sensitivity.

Dr Kaur cited a controlled human study in which one day of high-fat overfeeding increased glucose and insulin responses and reduced insulin sensitivity by 28%.

Sugary foods and beverages can also cause blood sugar spikes, making portion control particularly important for people with diabetes, Dr Dhingra told HealthandMe.

Can A Few Days Of Overeating Cause Weight Gain?

Excess calories from sweets, namkeen, fried snacks, rich gravies and sugary beverages can increase body weight.

However, initial weight gain may partly reflect water retention and increased glycogen stores rather than fat accumulation.

A systematic review of 39 studies found an average festive-period weight gain of approximately 0.7 kg, although individual outcomes varied. Repeated overeating can contribute to fat accumulation and affect metabolic health.

When Should You Worry About Digestive Discomfort?

Mild bloating and indigestion may settle on their own, but persistent or severe symptoms should not be dismissed as ordinary indigestion.

Dr Dhingra cautioned that severe upper abdominal pain, particularly when it radiates to the back and is accompanied by nausea, vomiting or fever, could indicate pancreatitis.

Recurring acidity and indigestion also warrant medical evaluation rather than repeated self-medication.

How To Ease Digestive Discomfort After Festive Overeating

Returning to regular eating habits rather than following restrictive diets can help your digestive system settle.

Dr Kaur recommends balanced meals comprising dal, roti, vegetable sabzi, curd and khichdi. Adequate hydration and fibre intake can also support digestion.

Dr Dhingra suggests the following measures:

• Eat smaller meals: Choose lighter, home-cooked food for the next few days.
• Stay hydrated: Drink adequate water throughout the day.
• Take a walk: A gentle 20–30-minute walk after meals can help you avoid remaining inactive.
• Avoid lying down immediately: This is particularly important if you experience acidity or reflux.
• Limit trigger foods: Cut back temporarily on fried, oily, very spicy and sugary foods if they worsen symptoms.
• Monitor blood sugar: People with diabetes should monitor glucose levels as advised and resume their regular meal and medication routines.

Avoid crash diets or skipping meals to compensate for festive overeating. Return to balanced meals and regular eating habits instead.

Do you ever feel energetic in the morning only to feel sluggish in the afternoon? Unable to stifle the yawn at meetings or fighting to keep your eyes open in classrooms? And you find yourself inevitably reaching for that cup of coffee? You are not alone! This is called ‘post-prandial somnolence’. Medical jargon aside, let’s decode why it happens and how to beat it.

What Drives the Post-meal Drowsiness?

The body has a natural clock, called the Circadian rhythm, which drives sleep – wake cycles. This clock brings about a slight dip in alertness in the early afternoon, between 1PM to 4PM and hence the afternoon sleepiness.

But circadian rhythm isn’t the only one driving this slump. The status of digestive power and food plays an important role.

A weak digestive capacity or a weak Agni, as Ayurveda puts it, makes one sluggish after a meal. Also, the quantity and quality of the meal, that is, Matra and Guna of food, help make the distinction between being active or feeling sluggish in the afternoons. A diet rich in refined carbohydrates and fats like maida parotta, Poori, curd, buns/ breads, desserts, etc in large quantities drives this slump. These foods increase Kapha in the body, which makes a person sleepy.

Hydration plays an equally important role. Poor hydration, poor nighttime sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle can worsen the phenomenon.

How Do We Overcome It?

The trick to overcome this slump is to combine food wisely, rather than skipping food. Instead of a large bowl of polished rice with rasam and papad, one can go with a moderate amount of brown rice, a bowl of sambar, vegetable fry, sprouts, or nuts. Maida-based rotis can be replaced with barley-based chapathis with a bowl of moong dal, chana, green leafy vegetables, etc. One can also opt for millet-based khichdi, millet rotis for the same. Foods that are not heavy for digestion and in the right quantity help avoid mid- day sleepiness.

Maintaining hydration by adequate water intake is recommended. One can also opt for fresh fruit juices, water-rich fruits like melons, or water-rich vegetables. Buttermilk is another healthy option for the same.

Physical activity, or Vyayama as Ayurveda describes, is another important aspect to keep in mind. Prolonged sitting often leads to an increase in Kapha in the body, which results in sluggishness. It is especially true after meals. A short walk of 100 steps after lunch helps beat the sluggishness. Light shoulder and neck stretches in between work too shall keep one active.

However, persistent or excessive daytime sleepiness could be because of underlying medical conditions like thyroid disorders, diabetes mellitus, etc. Hence, it is important to consult the physician if one feels excessive sleepiness or an energy slump during the day.

One need not let the post–meal drowsiness define the rest of the day. A combination of the right food, hydration, and exercise can go a long way in restoring energy without the caffeine!

(By Dr Meghana K A, Assistant Professor, SDM College of Ayurveda, Hospital & Research Center, Udupi)