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Getting enough sleep has been proved to extend your life. Less than 6 hours of sleep a night increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and viral infections. Getting 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 hours can make your RealAge up to 3 years younger.

Humans die faster without sleep than they do without food. Fortunately, food may hold the solution to getting the ZZZs you need. A couple of hours before bedtime, curl up with one of these snacks. All are able to get your brain to release sleep-friendly chemicals that help you nod off like a baby. (What's your sleep like? Take this quiz and see.)

  2. Bananas: Beneath the peel is a trifecta of soothers: not only serotonin and magnesium but also melatonin, your body's natural sleep regulator.
  3. Skim milk: Yep, Mom was right. A warm glassful will help you snooze. Could be the mild sedating effect of milk's tryptophan, or its calcium, which helps your brain use tryptophan. Or maybe it's just calming thoughts of Mother.
  5. Whole-wheat bread: A slice of toast dotted with banana slices releases insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it changes into serotonin and whispers "Sweet dreams."

Having trouble sleeping? It could be insomnia or sleep apnea.

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