Eating a small snack before you hit the sack each night could help you get a better night’s sleep.

Since one of the best natural sedatives is tryptophan, an amino acid component of many plant and animal proteins, the trick is to combine foods that have some tryptophan with ample carbohydrates, in order to allow it to make its way to the brain, according to Joy Bauer from Yahoo Health.

Tryptophan is one of the ingredients necessary for the body to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter best known for creating feelings of calm, and for making you sleepy, Bauer says.

Unfortunately, all amino acids compete for transport to the brain. When you add carbs, they cause the release of insulin, which takes the competing amino acids and incorporates them into muscle, but leaves tryptophan alone, so it can make its way to the brain, be converted to serotonin, and cause sleepiness. 

Bauer says serotonin-producing bedtime snacks should be no more than 200 calories and should be eaten at least 30 minutes prior to bed.

She offers a few ideas:

Bedtime Snacks for Adults:
- 6-8 oz container of non-fat, flavored yogurt topped with 2 tablespoons low-fat granola cereal
- Sliced apple with 1-2 teaspoons natural peanut butter
- 3 cups low-fat popcorn - sprinkled with optional 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Bedtime Snacks for Teens:
- One cup healthy cereal with skim milk
- Low-fat granola bar
- Scoop of vanilla or strawberry low-fat ice cream
Bedtime Snacks for Children:
- 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla pudding
- 1/2 banana with 1-2 teaspoons peanut butter
- One cup skim milk with a bunch of grapes (or other fruit)