Have you experienced trouble getting a good night’s sleep? Do you just wake up feeling unrefreshed in the morning even though you thought you got enough sleep? If your answer is yes to these questions, it’s time you consider what’s on your plate.
Even though it may sound surprising at first, the food you consume, and especially the food you eat at dinnertime and before bedtime, can significantly affect your sleep quality. That said, have a look at some foods you should incorporate in your diet if you want to improve your sleep.
Top Sleep-Friendly Foods
- Kiwi
The first on our list of foods to help you sleep is kiwi. If you are looking for a sleep-friendly snack before sleep, this green fruit is the perfect pre-bed food choice for you. A study showed that people who ate two kiwis an hour before going to bed enjoyed an extra hour of sleep. Kiwis are abundant in vitamins C and E, serotonin, and folate – all of which help in improving sleep.
- Soy Foods
Next are soy foods, i.e. foods made with soy including edamame, miso, and tofu. All these are full of isoflavones, compounds that help increase serotonin production – a brain chemical that affects the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Therefore, eating two or more soy servings a day can help increase your sleep duration, and at the same time, improve the quality of your sleep.
- Fiber-Rich Foods
Other foods that can help you catch shut-eye are those rich in fiber like beans, quinoa, artichokes, etc. A study found that eating fiber is connected to more restorative slow-wave sleep which means that the more fiber-rich foods you eat, the better sleep you have. This is so because fiber wards off blood sugar surges that can decrease melatonin production – the sleep hormone.
- Fish
Furthermore, fish is yet another food that can help you sleep. Namely, fish in general, and especially tuna, halibut, and salmon, are packed with vitamin B6 which is essential for melatonin production. Without melatonin, your body cannot doze off. So, you’d better include fish in your weekly menu if you want to get the sleep you deserve.
- Tart Cherry Juice
Another study found evidence that tart cherry juice can also aid sleep. Tart cherries, also known as sour cherries, are rich in melatonin which is the reason why they are sleep-inducing. This study showed that people who suffer from chronic insomnia can experience some relief in the severity of their sleep disorder if they drink a cup of tart cherry juice twice a day.
- Yogurt and Milk
In addition, yogurt also deserves a place on our top sleep-friendly foods. Indeed, dairy products like yogurt and milk all contain healthy doses of calcium. And, according to research, if your body lacks calcium you won’t be able to fall asleep easily. Hence, avoid difficulties falling asleep by consuming yogurt or milk.
- Bananas
Here’s another fruit on our list that will help you improve sleep. Bananas are widely known for being packed with potassium and for being a good source of vitamin B6 which, as we already mentioned, is crucial for melatonin production. So, try having a banana before bedtime if you want to sleep better.
- Kale
Last but not least, this leafy green vegetable can compare its sleep-inducing effects to those of dairy products because kale is also among the calcium-rich foods. Apart from kale, leafy greens packed with calcium include collard and spinach. All in all, kale can help you snooze off pretty quickly and avoid turning and tossing in bed.