Tossing and turning all night is a common adult complaint, and millions of people struggle with its associated effects, like daytime fatigue, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating. While many physical and mental factors can disrupt sleep, diet can play an important role. Here are 18 foods and drinks scientifically proven to help you get a good night’s rest.
Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherry juice is a natural source of melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin production naturally decreases with age, potentially explaining why older adults experience more sleep disturbances than children and young people. Studies show that drinking two cups of tart cherry juice before bed can significantly increase sleep duration and quality.
Almonds
American Behavioral Clinics claim, “Almonds help the body make GABA, which helps promote calmness, reduces anxiety, stabilizes blood pressure, and promotes restful sleep.” They’re also a good source of melatonin, magnesium, and healthy fats. Magnesium helps relax muscles and regulate blood sugar, while fats keep you satisfied and prevent nighttime hunger pangs.
Warm Milk
This pre-bedtime comfort drink isn’t just for children! Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that your body converts into serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sleepiness and is often prescribed for insomniacs. The temperature of warm milk can also have a calming effect, similar to a warm bath, signaling to your body that it’s time to wind down.
Fatty Fish
Salmon, tuna, and mackerel are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to improve sleep quality. Omega-3s are essential fats crucial for brain function and mood regulation, and studies have found that people with insomnia who consumed them for three months as supplements fell asleep faster and experienced fewer sleep disturbances.
Chamomile Tea
We’ve all heard chamomile tea touted as a popular herbal remedy for relaxation and better sleep. But is there any science behind the claim? Chamomile contains apigenin, a flavonoid that has proven calming and mild sedative effects. Try having a large cup approximately one hour before bed and avoid caffeine-containing alternatives (like green and black tea) after midday.
Kiwi Fruit
This fuzzy fruit is a natural source of nutrients that support sleep, like folate, vitamin C, and fiber, and also contains high concentrations of melatonin and serotonin, which both aid in regulating your circadian rhythm. A study in the NIH reports that “kiwifruit consumption may improve sleep onset, duration, and efficiency in adults with self-reported sleep disturbances.”
Bananas
Like kiwi fruit, bananas are a great fruit for sleep and are particularly beneficial for people who are woken by muscle cramps or night spasms. They’re a potent source of potassium and magnesium, which increase muscle relaxation and improve sleep quality. Bananas also contain tryptophan, which the body converts into serotonin, helping you relax and feel sleepy.
Whole-wheat Toast With Honey
Whole-wheat toast provides complex carbohydrates that your body slowly breaks down and turns into sugar. This ensures you feel satisfied throughout the night, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and prevents hunger from waking you. The honey on top isn’t just for sweetness—it contains a small amount of melatonin and may also enhance the uptake of tryptophan.
Spinach
We all know that dark, leafy greens are very nutritious, but did you know they also contain a surprisingly high concentration of sleep-promoting nutrients? Spinach, in particular, is rich in magnesium, which promotes muscle relaxation and improves sleep quality. It’s also a good source of vitamin K, which may play a role in regulating sleep cycles in adults.
Dark Chocolate
If spinach doesn’t sound appealing before bedtime, we have good news—dark chocolate (70% cacao or more) contains theobromine, a compound with calming effects that acts as a mild relaxant. Additionally, dark chocolate contains fat for nighttime satiety and small amounts of melatonin and may even boost serotonin production, further enhancing sleep duration.
Oatmeal
The Sleep Foundation recommends a bowl of warm oatmeal as a perfect sleep-promoting bedtime snack. Oats are a complex carbohydrate that releases glucose slowly and steadily, helping to regulate blood sugar and prevent nighttime sugar crashes that disrupt sleep. The warm temperature is also comforting and calming, signaling to your body that it’s time for rest.
Turkey Breast
When we think of sleep-inducing foods, meat isn’t normally at the top of the list, yet lean turkey contains tryptophan, as does chicken in lower quantities. Tryptophan is required for serotonin and melatonin production, both of which promote relaxation and sleepiness. The sleepy effects of turkey are evident as ‘Thanksgiving drowsiness,’ but can be more regularly beneficial.
White Rice
Like oatmeal, white rice is a simple carbohydrate that can help raise and maintain blood sugar levels, promote the production of sleep-inducing hormones like serotonin, and prevent hunger pangs. While brown rice is generally a healthier choice due to its higher fiber content, it is harder to digest, and white rice is more commonly recommended for sleep.
Full-Fat Yogurt
Plain, full-fat yogurt without added sugar is a good source of calcium and protein, both of which contribute to better sleep. Calcium helps regulate your body’s signaling mechanism by promoting the production of neurotransmitters that induce sleep, while protein and fat help you feel ‘full’ for longer. Calcium supplements are often prescribed to adults suffering from sleep disturbances like insomnia.
Decaf Green Tea
According to Medical News Today, “substances found in green tea may help people sleep because they act on the GABA system in the brain.” GABA stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid, the most common inhibitor of neural activity in the body. It reduces nerve cells’ ability to receive, create, or send chemical messages. It promotes relaxation and sleepiness.
Walnuts
Walnuts are another source of melatonin and sleep-supportive nutrients, including tryptophan, magnesium, and healthy fats. A small handful of walnuts before bed can provide enough melatonin to promote muscle relaxation. The magnesium will help prevent unwanted muscle activity, and the unsaturated fats will keep you feeling satiated as you sleep.
Sweet Potato
Although not the easiest bedtime snack to prepare, a late-evening meal including sweet potatoes can boost your ability to rest overnight. Sweet potatoes are a complex carbohydrate rich in fiber and vitamin B6. This vitamin is a coenzyme involved in melatonin production, and studies show a positive correlation between taking B6 supplements and sleep quality.
Tart Cherry Tart
If you’re not a fan of tart cherry juice, you can still reap the sleep benefits of tart cherries by incorporating them into a dessert. Bake a small tart with a whole-wheat crust filled with tart cherries and a touch of natural sweetener. This provides melatonin from the cherries and complex carbohydrates from the crust. Just make sure you don’t add too much sugar!
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