Foods That Help You Sleep

First the Facts

• Generally, snacking before bed isn’t a good habit if you want to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep
• A light snack of foods containing a few key nutrients could actually promote healthy sleep
• The best foods to promote better sleep contain the following 3 things:
  
  • Magnesium (e.g., oats and almonds)
  • Tryptophan (e.g., pistachios and cottage cheese)
  • Melatonin (e.g., bananas and tart cherry juice)

How’re you sleeping lately? Chances are you’ve been through seasons where good, restful sleep was just out of reach. If you’ve ever been there—or are currently there—then you know your body demands sleep in order to function! Without it, it’s susceptible to chronic health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and depression. One thing that might be reducing your ability to fall asleep, and stay asleep, is the food you eat closest to bedtime.

While we don’t recommend eating snacks right before bed—it disrupts digestion and slows metabolism—we all know sometimes the urge strikes. So what should you reach for when you’re a bit peckish around 9PM? Check out these foods that will actually help your body prepare for a great night’s sleep!

3 Things Your Body Can Use for Better Sleep

Like it or not, the foods we eat have a direct impact on how well our body performs even basic things like sleeping. Luckily, some foods contain essential nutrients that can actually assist your body in sleeping well!

For healthy sleep, we’re going to look for foods that contain one of the following three things:

• Magnesium
• Tryptophan
• Melatonin

You won’t find these listed among ingredients, so it’s important to know what they are, and where you’ll find them in your diet. Let’s dig in!

Foods With Magnesium

Ever try to drift off to sleep only to find that you’re just too tense? Magnesium can help! Magnesium encourages restful sleep by calming the nervous system and relaxing your muscles.

The parasympathetic nervous system regulates your rest and digest impulse, slowing down your heart and relaxing your muscles. Ahhhh, can’t you just feel yourself relaxing after reading that sentence?

Reach for these foods that are high in magnesium:

• Oats
• Almonds
• Cashews
• Chia Seeds

💥TIP: Wondering how to eat chia seeds? Try our recipe for chia seed pudding! It’s a satisfying snack and so easy to make:

1. Add ½ cup milk of your choice to a jar
2. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of chia seeds, stir together
3. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of honey over everything
4. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours (preferably overnight)

Foods With Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that our bodies don’t make, so we have to get it from our diet. We want this in our diet because our bodies convert tryptophan into the neurotransmitter serotonin.

Serotonin is a chemical building block for melatonin (we’re getting to that) which is often called the “sleep hormone.” All this means is that tryptophan sets your body up to plunge into a sweet sleep!

So when you’re feeling snacky just before bed, try one of these foods that’s rich in tryptophan:

• Pistachios
• Sesame Seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Cottage Cheese
• Bananas

Foods With Melatonin

Okay, now we’re ready to talk about melatonin. You’ve probably seen it on shelves as a sleep aid, and maybe even tried it, but do you know what makes it so effective?

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the sleep-waking cycle, and it increases with darkness, keeping your circadian rhythm on track. Simply put, melatonin sends a signal to your body that it’s time to rest. And sometimes it needs the reminder!

You can supplement with melatonin or you can snack on the following foods that promote melatonin production:

• Kiwis
• Oranges
• Bananas
• Pineapples
• Tart Cherry Juice

Got a Serious Sleep Problem?

If your sleep sorrows haunt you night after night, you may have a more serious issue on your hands. We’d love to help you get to the bottom of it!

Join Stephanie for a one-on-one session to discuss your questions and concerns about all things sleep—or whatever’s on your brain!

Click here for virtual office hours and let’s get you back into a healthy sleep routine.