Top 7 Ultimate Foods to Help You Sleep

Getting adequate sleep is something that needs to be your priority. It is vital for your health and quality of life, as well. Enough sleep keeps you protected from certain illnesses and also ensures that your brain and other body systems continue to function optimally. It is recommended that you get around 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily.

However, a lot of people have trouble sleeping and try various strategies to fall asleep at the right time. One thing that not many are aware of is that you can use foods to help you sleep.

Food items that promote sleep

Some foods help you sleep by calming your nervous system. They initiate a hormonal response in your body that induces sleep, thereby ensuring that you do get the rest you need. Let us take a look at some of these food items.

Almonds

Almonds are highly nutritious and provide you with ample benefits. They also reduce the risk of several diseases. A great benefit of almonds is that they can enhance your sleep quality significantly.  Almonds contain melatonin, which is a sleep-regulating hormone and is also enriched with magnesium.

Thus, if you have trouble sleeping, taking almonds before going to bed can deal with the issue effectively. Around a handful of almonds should do the trick.

Kiwi

Kiwis are nutritious and a low-calorie fruit that provides your body with a lot of health benefits. They are enriched with Vitamin C, Vitamin K, folate and potassium along with other minerals.

Kiwis can improve the quality of your sleep, as has been proven by studies. Studies have shown that people who ate kiwi before bedtime fell asleep faster compared to those who did not have anything. Furthermore, kiwis also enhance your ability to sleep through the night, ensuring that you enjoy an uninterrupted rest. This effect of kiwi can be attributed to the presence of serotonin in the fruit, which is a brain chemical that plays a role in regulating the sleep cycle.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile tea is a healthy herbal tea that reduces inflammation owing to antioxidants present in it. It also boosts your immune system while reducing anxiety and depression as well.

The tea also improves your sleep quality as it contains an antioxidant that promotes sleepiness by binding to specific receptors in the brain. You will fall asleep faster and have more chances of enjoying an uninterrupted sleep if you take a cup of chamomile tea before going to bed.

Turkey

Everyone loves a delicious piece of turkey. It is quite good for health as well as it is enriched with proteins that keep your muscles strong and also regulate your appetite. Turkey also contains other vitamins and minerals.

Eating turkey before bed makes you feel sleepy and enables you to fall asleep faster. You might not have to spend hours tossing and turning in bed if you have turkey. It also improves your quality of sleep.

Tart cherry juice

Tart cherry juice is enriched with various nutrients, including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and manganese. It also contains a high concentration of antioxidants. It is known to induce sleepiness and is effective in dealing with insomnia as it has a high amount of melatonin, which makes sure that your body gets prepared to go to sleep.

Walnuts

These nuts have a high content of vitamins and minerals and are enriched with phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, and copper. They are also a source of protein and healthy fats.

Sleep quality can be improved by eating walnuts as these nuts have a high concentration of melatonin, the sleep-regulating hormone. Fatty acids present in walnuts also enhance the quality of sleep as they are a source of omega-3 fatty acid that converts to DHA and further increases the production of serotonin in the body that induces sleep.

If you face difficulty in sleeping, around a handful of walnuts can provide you with the results you are looking for.

Fatty Fish

Salmon, trout, and tuna are all examples of fatty fish. They have ample health benefits to offer and also enhance sleep as they lead to increased production of serotonin in the body due to the combination of Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids present in them.

As per studies, if you eat a few ounces of fatty fish before bed, not only will you fall asleep faster but deeply as well.

Importance of selecting the right foods to help you sleep

It is common for people to try different methods and techniques that would enable them to fall asleep faster. By using food items to enhance your sleep, you also attain the various health benefits that these foods have to offer. Thus, not only the quality of your sleep is improved, but it also has a positive impact on your overall health.

Tips for using food to sleep

If you want to make sure that you get to sleep for the desired hours by using food, it is advisable to consume them around two to three hours before going to bed. If you eat them right before going to bed, you might face some digestive issues which would make it uncomfortable for you to fall asleep.

Furthermore, the quantity of food you eat is essential as well. Do not overdo it and eat the item in a moderate amount to ensure that you get the desired result without any problems.

Final words

You have a lot of options when it comes to foods that help you sleep. Milk, bananas, cottage cheese, and oatmeal are some other food items that you can use for the purpose as well.

The best thing about using foods to improve your sleep quality is that you do not have to worry about any side effects. Therefore, if you have been facing trouble falling asleep, try some of these food items. They would make sure that you get the rest that your body needs.