Don’t you sometimes find yourself wondering if there is food you could eat to fall asleep faster? Well, there are. Food is the fuel that runs your body. It is also an important part of your sleep pattern. So, if you toss and turn every night, wake up tired, and you spend the day less productive, stressed and cranky, you may want to change what you eat. You may not be suffering from insomnia, at all!
Also, that friend who complains that they can’t fall asleep despite trying everything they could be able to sleep better if they ate more of some foods and less of others.
Well then, which are the superfoods for better sleep?
These are a good source of tryptophan, a sleep-enhancing amino acid that increases the secretion of serotonin and melatonin. Serotonin is a natural mood stabilizer, and it’s been shown to lower depression making it easier for you to fall asleep because you will feel calmer, less anxious and more focused.
Thanks to tryptophan, serotonin levels increase in blood. High serotonin levels result in stimulation of parts of the brain responsible for sleeping and waking. Serotonin increases the production of melatonin which is the hormone that controls your circadian rhythm.
In addition to tryptophan, studies show that walnuts also have melatonin which means that you will fall asleep faster after eating walnuts.
Those cherry red cherries you keep passing at the farmers market contain a substantial amount of melatonin. Melatonin controls your sleep wake cycles, and in high concentrations, you drift away. A handful of cherries a few hours before you go to bed will make you sleep better.
If you can’t access the fruit, try natural cherry juice, dried or frozen cherries. Researchers from Pennsylvania and Rochester Universities recommend intake of a cup of cherry juice twice every day if you are suffering from insomnia.
You’ve probably heard about this before but weren’t patient enough to wait for the results. Bananas will help you fall asleep faster because they are rich in potassium, magnesium, and muscle relaxants. These promote sleep. Also, bananas are a good source of vitamin B6 which is an important vitamin in melatonin synthesis.
And, that isn’t all. Bananas are high in carbohydrates, and you will feel sleepy soon after eating them.
For the best effects, blend one ripe banana with one glass of milk and drink that smoothie an hour before your bedtime.
Haven’t you heard that drinking a glass of warm milk before bed will help you fall asleep faster? Well, it isn’t a myth. Milk is a rich source of tryptophan, the precursor for the synthesis of serotonin. Both tryptophan and serotonin will help you fall asleep faster.
The other reason why you should drink milk is that it is a great source of calcium and calcium helps in the regulation of melatonin. It is also effective in nerve stabilization and stress reduction. You may also opt for cheese or yogurt.
You can increase the sleep-inducing effects of milk by taking it with your favorite cereal. It could be the only time breakfast for dinner works, but it is worth it. A bowl of flakes or oatmeal will help you sleep better because it is rich in carbohydrates and calcium which let you relax and sleep well.
Lettuce
You may not like lettuce but including it in your salad with dinner could help you fall asleep faster. Lettuce is rich in lactucarium, a component with sedative properties. Lactucarium affects the brain the same way opium does. So, when you eat lettuce for dinner, expect to fall asleep faster.
You may also want to eat more kale, a source of magnesium which helps in fighting insomnia. You may also want to add some spinach to your diet.
Spinach is a source of tryptophan and also a source of magnesium, folate, vitamin C, and B all of which are essential for the synthesis of serotonin and subsequently melatonin. It is also rich in the amino acid glutamine that detoxes your body letting you sleep well.
Tuna is rich in the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin. It is also rich in vitamin B6 which is important in the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin.
High serotonin levels lead to relaxation because serotonin is a neurotransmitter promoting relaxation and in the process, better sleep. Tuna is also known for its ability to boost the functioning of the immune system.
A journal published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that people who eat jasmine rice for dinner tend to fall asleep faster. This is possibly because of jasmine rice’s high glycemic index. A high glycemic index lets the body digest the rice slowly releasing glucose into the body slowly. It also increases tryptophan and consequently serotonin levels inducing sleep.
Brown rice, is also effective in making you sleep fast. It is a rich source of GABA, Gamma-amino butyric acid, which calms the nervous system letting you drift fast.
They are a great source of magnesium and magnesium is important for muscle relaxation, and it promotes sleep. Studies and findings published in the journal of Orthomolecular Medicine show that people have a hard time staying asleep when they have low magnesium levels.
Intake of almonds, therefore, increases your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep because your muscles stay relaxed. Also, almonds are a rich source of proteins meaning that they help stabilize blood sugar levels when you sleep. Almonds take your body from an alert; adrenaline pumped cycle to a rest-and-digest cycle.
Chickpeas have components that boost the body’s levels of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is important for melatonin production. It also makes your body relax inducing fast sleep.
This oil isn’t just effective in preventing heart problems; it lets you sleep peacefully. The sleep-inducing benefits of coconut oil come from the fact that it is rich in lauric acid, also known as dodecanoic acid which leads to restful sleep.
Bonus
Teas, Honey, Dark Chocolate, Beets, Avocado
There are many varieties of teas you can take to sleep better. They include chamomile tea, passion flower tea, lemon balm tea, Hop tea or Valerian tea.
Conclusion
While other people fall asleep as soon as they have their heads on the bed, others struggle. Lack of sleep affects your daily life, and for that reason you have to do all it takes to get some hours of sleep, including eating even when you are watching your weight. These ten are the most effective food remedies for lack of sleep or poor quality foods.
There are other foods but, the ones to avoid include soda, caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, spicy foods, sugary cereals, fatty foods, pizza, and water (before sleeping)!
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