7 Foods to Help You Sleep (2024)

FAQs

7 Foods to Help You Sleep? ›

Eggs and fish are higher melatonin-containing food groups in animal foods, whereas in plant foods, nuts are with the highest content of melatonin. Some kinds of mushrooms, cereals and germinated legumes or seeds are also good dietary sources of melatonin.

Eggs and fish are higher melatonin-containing food groups in animal foods, whereas in plant foods, nuts are with the highest content of melatonin. Some kinds of mushrooms, cereals and germinated legumes or seeds are also good dietary sources of melatonin.

Cherries (especially sour cherries like the Montmorency variety) are one of the only (and highest) natural food sources of melatonin. Studies have shown a boost in circulating melatonin after consumption of cherries, though sweet cherries have half the melatonin content as sour cherries.

Eating more fiber could be key for better sleep. Eating fiber was associated with more restorative slow-wave sleep—the more you eat, the better you sleep—per a study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. Fiber prevents blood sugar surges that may lower melatonin.

Almond milk is high in sleep-promoting hormones and minerals, including tryptophan, melatonin, and magnesium.

Best vegetable for melatonin: sweet corn

Sweet corn contains high levels of naturally occurring melatonin. It's also gluten free and can be used as a substitute for rice in those with celiac disease. One hundred grams of raw sweet corn also contains about 10 percent of your recommended intake of magnesium.

Many factors may cause low melatonin levels at night, such as alcohol consumption, smoking, caffeine consumption, shift work, aging, certain medications, and exposure to too much light at night — including blue light ( 9 , 10 ).

Foods include: whole-grain bread, pasta, crackers and brown rice. Foods include: peanut butter and nuts such as walnuts, almonds, cashews and pistachios. Foods include: spinach, nuts, seeds, avocados and black beans. Beverages include: warm milk and herbal teas such as chamomile or peppermint.

Water is far and away the most important drink when you are short on sleep. Though it might be tempting to turn to coffee or tea, research suggests that you do otherwise.

Should I drink water before going to sleep? ›

Drinking water before bed might help ward off dehydration. View Source while you sleep, and it may also help you attain the drop in core body temperature. View Source that helps induce sleepiness.

Cherries are known for being one of the best foods for sleep as they naturally contain melatonin. Snacking on cherries or drinking cherry juice can help promote longer, deeper sleep.

Eating certain fruits before bed may also help you sleep better. One study found that consumption of pineapple, oranges, and bananas. View Source increased melatonin production about two hours later. Kiwis have also been shown to have some sleep-inducing properties.

Leafy greens are good for all sorts of things, but they're also a powerful sleep aid. Lettuce, in particular, contains high levels of lactucarium. Commonly called “lettuce opium,” this powerful substance is a sedative that helps promote feelings of relaxation and sleepiness.

Therefore, eating peanut butter or other foods with tryptophan before bed may alleviate sleep issues. Peanut butter is highly nutritious and rich in protein, which reduces food cravings and promotes muscle growth. It also contains tryptophan, which may enhance sleep quality.

A diet high in refined carbohydrates may raise the likelihood of developing insomnia, according to a 2019 study. Often referred to as “empty” calories, refined carbs include sugars and processed grains that are stripped of nutrients. Examples of refined carbs include white bread, cookies, cakes, sodas, and more.

The usual advice from experts is to stop eating three hours before bed. This period of time gives your body time to digest a meal, limiting the indigestion, possible weight gain and acid reflux that could keep you up when you get into bed. So if you aim to be in bed by midnight, try to eat dinner before 9 p.m.

Tryptophan triggers the brain's sleep process: Tryptophan is an amino acid known to promote sleep. View Source within the brain. Turkey contains high levels of tryptophan, so it is famously blamed for sleepiness after Thanksgiving dinner. Other foods with tryptophan include milk, bananas, oats, and chocolate.

Natural alternatives to melatonin, such as magnesium, valerian root, l-theanine, chamomile, and passionflower, are all-natural remedies that have been used for centuries to promote relaxation and help people get a better night's sleep.

Which juice is best at night? ›

Tart cherry juice is a perfect drink to consume before sleep as it contains sleep-regulating compounds – melatonin, tryptophan, potassium, and serotonin.

Oats are also rich in melatonin, which relaxes the body and helps you fall asleep."

Peanut butter also provides many micronutrients and is a good source of vitamin E. Additionally, it contains the amino acid tryptophan, which the body needs to make serotonin and melatonin . Both melatonin and serotonin help regulate the sleep-wake cycle and promote quality sleep .

Melatonin and many other herbal products can increase your risk of bleeding, seizures, or low blood pressure. Using certain products together can increase these risks. Avoid coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, or other products that contain caffeine.

Improves sleep

Grapes may help you catch some ZZZs. “Grapes do have a degree of melatonin in them,” says DiMarino. “So they're a great evening snack. They don't have a lot of calories and they can potentially help you fall asleep.”

Melatonin secretion decreases during aging. Reduced melatonin levels are also observed in various diseases, such as types of dementia, some mood disorders, severe pain, cancer, and diabetes type 2. Melatonin dysfunction is frequently related to deviations in amplitudes, phasing, and coupling of circadian rhythms.

In particular, vitamins B6, B12, C, D, and E can improve or lower your sleep quality and duration. Vitamin C deficiency and both lack and an excess of vitamin B6 in the body might affect your sleep or cause insomnia. It is important, therefore, that you consult your doctor before taking any vitamin supplements.

Oatmeal is easy to prepare and can make you sleep well if you eat it before bed. It's rich in magnesium, silicon, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, all of which support sleep. Don't, however, sprinkle too much sugar over the oats. Otherwise, you'll cancel out the calming effects.

Why am I so tired but can't sleep? ›

If you're tired but can't sleep, it may be a sign that your circadian rhythm is off. However, being tired all day and awake at night can also be caused by poor napping habits, anxiety, depression, caffeine consumption, blue light from devices, sleep disorders, and even diet.

Anxiety, stress, and depression are some of the most common causes of chronic insomnia. Having difficulty sleeping can also make anxiety, stress, and depression symptoms worse. Other common emotional and psychological causes include anger, worry, grief, bipolar disorder, and trauma.

It's best to stop eating about three hours before going to bed. That allows plenty of time for your body to digest the last food you ate so it won't disrupt your sleep, but leaves a small enough window before sleep that you won't go to bed feeling hungry.

Its fine if you drink water just after urination but you can also have water whenever you feel like drinking it.

Popcorn is a whole grain packed with fiber and carbs. Carbohydrates make tryptophan, an amino acid important for sleep, more available to the brain. A study found that food such as popcorn and nuts provided a longer sleep duration than food such as burgers and pizza.

Best for better sleep:

An ounce of cheese and a few whole-grain crackers is an excellent choice for a pre-bed nosh. The calcium in cheese helps your body use the tryptophan that's naturally found in dairy to make melatonin, a hormone produced in a tiny gland in the middle of your brain.

Carbohydrate-rich foods like toast trigger insulin production. This induces sleep by speeding up the release of tryptophan, a chemical that helps to relax the body and send it off to sleep.

Honey helps your brain release melatonin, the hormone that your body uses to restore itself during sleep. This happens through a series of transformations in your brain: honey's sugars spike your insulin levels, releasing tryptophan, which becomes serotonin, which becomes melatonin.

What produces the most melatonin? ›

Melatonin is produced by various tissues in the body, although the major source is the pineal gland in the brain. Melatonin (blue) is produced naturally from the amino acid tryptophan, by the pineal gland (purple) at night-time.

The synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness, melatonin is the "chemical expression of darkness" and inhibited by light [4]. Photic information from the retina is transmitted to the pineal gland through the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SCN) and the sympathetic nervous system [5].

Pistachios

“Among all plant foods nuts, and in particular pistachios, have the highest amount of melatonin,” Neville tells SBS. Research shows that melatonin can help people sleep longer and fall asleep more quickly. “Eating pistachios also provides our bodies with magnesium and calcium.

#3 Cranberry

What is less known, however, is that the red berries also contain a high amount of melatonin, namely up to 9. 600 µg per 100 g dry weight! Cranberries are not only a popular remedy for bladder infections and urinary tract infections, but also a natural support for a good night's sleep.

Nuts like almonds, walnuts. View Source , pistachios, and cashews are often considered to be a good food for sleep. Though the exact amounts can vary, nuts contain melatonin as well as essential minerals like magnesium. View Source and zinc.

Peanut butter also provides many micronutrients and is a good source of vitamin E. Additionally, it contains the amino acid tryptophan, which the body needs to make serotonin and melatonin . Both melatonin and serotonin help regulate the sleep-wake cycle and promote quality sleep .

Natural alternatives to melatonin, such as magnesium, valerian root, l-theanine, chamomile, and passionflower, are all-natural remedies that have been used for centuries to promote relaxation and help people get a better night's sleep.

Natrol is one of the most popular melatonin brands. One bottle of Natrol contains 100 tablets, enough for 100 nights. The fast-dissolving tablets don't require any water.

Melatonin is a natural hormone that's mainly produced by your pineal gland in your brain. It plays a role in managing your sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythm. Scientists still have a lot to learn about all of its effects on the human body.

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the enigmatic pineal gland in response to darkness, hence the name hormone of darkness.

What hormone makes you sleepy? ›

But when darkness comes at night, the SCN sends messages to the pineal gland. This gland triggers the release of the chemical melatonin. Melatonin makes you feel sleepy and ready for bed.