Make snacks work for you

Four ideas for mid-afternoon snacks
It's probable that we're designed to snooze mid-afternoon (returning to our Palaeolithic ancestors), hence the effectiveness of siestas or power-naps. But if you can't do this, the worst thing is to keep going on 'empty' by propping yourself up with sugary snacks. Try:

• Oat and raisin flapjacks (choose a good quality brand which is not too fatty, or even better, make your own)
• Wholemeal breadsticks with low-fat cream cheese and pineapple
• A slice of fruit loaf and an apple
• If you're desperate for sugar, make it a healthy fix. Drink a fresh smoothie, free of added sugar, with loads of delicious fruit in it for fibre (this is not the same as fruit juice, which does not have the fibre in it and provides too strong a blood sugar hit). These are available from shops or you can make your own

Four sleepy snacks
The worst thing for achieving deep sleep is too much alcohol - you might pass out but stay at an unrestful level of sleep. On the other hand, calcium and oats are well-known for their soporific qualities, hence the popularity of oat-based milky drinks. But commercial brands are often too sugary. Try the following:

• Blend finely milled oats with a cupful of milk or calcium-enriched soya, and add a teaspoon of honey for (controlled) sweetness
• If you wake in the night this may be due to blood sugar dips, so keep half a banana or an oatcake by the bed to snack on and lull you back to sleep
• Lettuce is rich in a compound that helps to induce sleep, so enjoy a salad in the evening
• Herbal teas that aid sleep are vervaine and camomile. They're much better choices than caffeine-laden coffee or tea, or alcohol, which interferes with deep sleep