10 Foods That Will Help You Sleep Like a Baby

Getting enough high-quality sleep is incredibly important for your overall health and wellbeing. However, many people suffer from insomnia and poor sleep patterns that prevent them from feeling rested. The foods you eat during the day can have a significant impact on how well you sleep at night.

Making sure your diet includes an array of sleep-promoting foods can vastly improve your sleep quality and duration so you wake up feeling refreshed and energized.

Here are 12 foods packed with sleep-enhancing properties to help you sleep better:

Almonds – This crunchy nut contains high levels of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a natural muscle relaxant. Magnesium has been found to calm the nervous system, allowing both the body and mind to unwind, making it easier to fall asleep.

Chamomile Tea – The gentle herb chamomile has been used for centuries as a sleep aid. Compounds in chamomile bind to GABA receptors in the brain which induce relaxation and reduce anxiety. Sipping a warm cup of chamomile tea before bed will help you relax and drift off to dreamland.

Tart Cherries – Tart cherry juice is chock full of melatonin, the sleep-regulating hormone that controls your circadian rhythms. The surge in melatonin found in tart cherry juice signals the body to prepare for sleep.

Salmon – Fatty fish like salmon contain significant amounts of vitamin D. Studies show that low levels of vitamin D are associated with poor sleep quality and duration.

Bananas – Bananas are a great source of magnesium and potassium, two minerals that provide muscle-relaxing benefits. Bananas help calm both the body and mind before sleep.

Oatmeal – The carbohydrates and protein in oatmeal increase your body’s production of serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle while melatonin makes you feel drowsy.

Walnuts – Crunchy walnuts are packed with sleep-inducing melatonin as well as heart-healthy fats. Enjoy a small handful as a pre-bedtime snack.

Passionflower Tea – The passionflower herb interacts with GABA receptors much like chamomile, providing powerful anxiety-reducing and sleep-promoting benefits.

Greek Yogurt – The protein in Greek yogurt contains high levels of tryptophan. Once consumed, tryptophan is converted to sleep-regulating melatonin in the brain.

Kiwi – These small green fruits are very high in serotonin-producing carbohydrates but low in sugar. The serotonin in kiwis is converted to melatonin to increase sleepiness.

Asparagus – Asparagus is a natural diuretic that helps reduce fluid retention. Less fluids in the body minimizes nighttime trips to the bathroom.

Lettuce – Lettuce contains lactucarium which has sedative effects that induce calming and sleep. The darker the lettuce, the higher the lactucarium content.

Making a few simple dietary changes can have profound effects on the quality of your sleep. Be sure to also avoid stimulants like caffeine late in the day. Follow these tips and you’ll be sleeping soundly in no time!

Making a few simple dietary changes can have profound effects on the quality of your sleep. Be sure to also avoid stimulants like caffeine late in the day. Follow these tips and you’ll be sleeping soundly in no time!