Here are tips for foods to help you get sound, restful sleep and things you must avoid before bedtime.
Good quality sleep is needed for good health. Not only does it keep you alert and focused while you’re awake, but your body also needs this critical rest period to heal itself.
Do you find yourself lying awake or tossing and turning throughout the night? When you wake up the next morning do you still feel tired because you didn't get quality sleep?
Fortunately, there are natural solutions to sleep problems, such as consuming foods and drinks that can potentially help you get the kind of sleep you crave.
There are specific foods that contain nutrients that promote sleepiness as well as better quality, deeper rest.
Here’s a look at the top foods (and drinks) that could help:
Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherries are loaded with beneficial nutrients, most notably magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and antioxidants. In research, tart cherry juice is one of the foods that most consistently induces sleepiness and better quality sleep.
Several studies have shown that drinking tart cherry juice raises melatonin levels. Melatonin is commonly referred to as the “sleep hormone”.
Potassium is thought to be connected to staying asleep through the night. Magnesium helps with the production and regulation of melatonin. Magnesium can even help decrease levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. This further helps you to relax and fall asleep.
Overall, tart cherry juice has the potential to extend sleep time by over an hour and to improve sleep quality.
Almonds
Almonds are one of the best foods to help with sleep because they can boost melatonin production. In fact, they are one of the best plant-based dietary sources of melatonin.
Walnuts
Walnuts contain many sleep-boosting nutrients, especially melatonin and magnesium. They also contain fatty acids that may promote better quality sleep.
One of the major fatty acids in walnuts is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is an Omega-3. It is converted within your body to DHA which appears to increase serotonin levels.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has a lot of roles in the body. One of these roles is helping to regulate your sleep-wake cycle. It’s also a chemical precursor to melatonin, meaning you need enough of it for your body to produce the right amount of the sleep hormone.
Oats
Oats may surprise you as one of the top foods to help with sleep. They are yet another good source of melatonin and magnesium. Even more surprising, oats have a good amount of tryptophan. Tryptophan plays a role in the production of both melatonin and serotonin. It also helps your brain relax, which can induce drowsiness.
Kiwi Fruit
Kiwis are a highly nutritious fruit, packed full of vitamin C. They also contain good amounts of potassium and folate (vitamin B9), along with trace minerals.
Folate is an often overlooked nutrient in relation to sleep. It’s involved in the synthesis of several neurotransmitters, including serotonin, and may help with insomnia. Deficiencies of folate can cause sleep trouble.
In one study, adults ate two kiwis one hour before going to bed for 4 weeks. They ended up falling asleep 42% more quickly than before, slept for longer, and slept better throughout the night.
Leafy Greens
Certain leafy greens are great foods to help with sleep because of their calcium content. Kale, spinach, and mustard greens are at the top of the list.
Calcium is yet another essential nutrient for getting quality sleep. Though normally associated with bone health, calcium works with other nutrients in your body to promote restful sleep. It seems to be especially connected to REM sleep.
Adequate calcium intake (alongside getting enough other “sleep nutrients”) may help you fall asleep more quickly and get more restorative sleep.
Lettuce is another green that surprisingly may aid sleep. Certain types contain a milky fluid called lactucarium, which has sedative properties.
Herbal Tea
Certain herbal teas have relaxing, sleep-promoting properties. Two of the most studied teas to help with sleep are chamomile and passionflower. Studies using both chamomile tea and chamomile extract show that it can improve both the time it takes you to fall asleep and sleep quality.
Passionflower appears to increase the production of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is a brain chemical that inhibits other stress-inducing brain chemicals, leading to a more relaxed state.
Passionflower seems to have benefits similar to chamomile for better quality sleep, so you can choose either one depending on taste preference. The two can also be combined into one herbal tea.
Certain Types of Fish
Fatty fish like salmon, trout, and sardines are top foods to help with sleep because of their vitamin D and fatty acid content.
Vitamin D is an incredibly important nutrient that acts as a hormone. It’s vital for healthy immune function, bone health, and, of course, sleep. A deficiency is associated with a greater risk of sleep problems.
The biggest source of vitamin D is sunlight, which enables your body to produce its own store of the vitamin. Fish are one of few food sources that will also give you a good amount of the “sunshine vitamin”.
Bananas
Bananas contain a good amount of potassium and a modest amount of magnesium. Both of these contribute to helping you fall asleep and sleep through the night.
Honey
Though you don’t want to consume a lot of sugar at night, a little bit of raw honey can be a good bedtime snack. It also combines well with other foods to help with sleep like nuts, herbal tea, and oats.
Milk
Many people find a warm glass of milk helps them fall asleep. This could be due to tryptophan. Some evidence suggests that this amino acid can relax you.
Camel milk offers excellent nutrition, including calcium, potassium and vitamin D, and this could explain why it can help get a better night’s sleep.
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Tips for Eating Foods to Help with Sleep
Eating the right kinds of food can help you get better quality sleep, but how you eat also matters.
Having a large meal right before bed isn’t a good idea, even if you’re eating foods on this list. It means that your digestive system will be active right when you are trying to fall asleep.
You can, however, eat sleep foods with dinner or have them as a small snack a few hours before going to bed. The same goes for herbal tea and tart cherry juice. Drink them 2-3 hours before sleeping so that you don’t have to make a bathroom trip in the middle of the night.
Foods to Avoid Before Bedtime
Knowing the “good sleep foods” is important, but it’s equally important to mention the foods that could be sabotaging your rest.
High Fat of Spicy Meals
Meals heavy on fat are not a great choice for the evening - foods such as baked goods, cheese, and ice cream can be hard to digest, especially if lying down. Lying down too soon after eating them can also make it easier for acid reflux to happen, causing discomfort and burning in the chest.
If your end-of-the-day meal tends to be heavy or on the spicy side, try to finish eating it at least 4 hours before going to sleep.
Processed Foods
Processed foods are high in sodium. Sodium increases the risk of bloating, and retaining fluids before bedtime, and causes discomfort that can keep you awake. You might also be thirstier after consuming sodium-rich foods, making you drink more water in the hours before bedtime and causing nighttime urination.
Caffeine
It may sound obvious, but caffeine can influence your sleep. Everyone’s body processes caffeine at a slightly different rate, but it typically takes 4-6 hours for it to leave your system entirely. This means you should cut off caffeine intake mid-afternoon to make sure it doesn’t interfere with sleep quality.
Also, keep in mind that there are other sources of caffeine besides coffee and tea. Chocolate contains caffeine and even decaf drinks still contain a small amount (and other chemicals). Depending on how sensitive you are to caffeine, you may want to go easy on these.
Alcohol
Alcohol is tricky when it comes to sleep. Many people enjoy drinking it in the evening because it’s relaxing and can help you fall asleep more quickly. Unfortunately, alcohol does not help with sleep quality. You may enjoy falling asleep faster, but you’re more likely to wake up in the night, spend time tossing and turning, and even get night sweats. Because of this, it’s best to cut off alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime.
Here's to a great night’s sleep!