Top 8 Foods That Help You Sleep Better

While certain people find it difficult to get sleep, others experience difficulty in remaining asleep. There might be several contributing factors, which prevent you from getting the sleep you should. It is important to note that over 50 million Americans don’t get enough sleep at night. Considering the astounding benefits of good sleep, which include youthful skin, a sharp brain, a healthy immune system, and elevated mood, finding a solution to your sleeping problem is critical. The good news here is, several foods that help you sleep better. Read on, to know more about the top 8 foods that help you sleep better.

Cottage Cheese

If you’re unable to get sleep at night, try having a cup of cottage cheese daily. Cottage cheese is among the most protein-dense foods available, and comprises slow-digesting casein proteins that would supply amino acids to your muscle tissues. The sleep-inducing benefits of cottage cheese are due to its high content of tryptophan, which is an amino acid that assists in sleeping. Tyrptophan helps to produce serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that regulates sleep. Adding some almond butter to cottage cheese will help your body remain satisfied through the night.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is yet another superfood for promoting better sleep. While oatmeal is often regarded as a breakfast food, it indeed works well when eaten before bed. This is because the carbohydrates present in oatmeal trigger serotonin release inside the body. Serotonin is classified as a feel-good hormone that relieves stress. Additionally, oatmeal’s slow-digesting carbs will keep your body’s energy levels stable, preventing crashing sugar levels in the middle of the night. Consider adding half an apple, with a dash of cinnamon to your oatmeal preparation.

Fish

Apart from being heart-healthy, fish helps to improve sleep. Fish such as salmon, tuna, and halibut, are fine sources of vitamin B6, which is required for producing melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that promotes sleep, in response to darkness.

Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherry juice is also a natural sleep-inducer. Research studies have shown that this melatonin-dense juice induces sleep. The study revealed that tart cherry juice helps ease the severity of insomnia, when one cup is consumed twice daily.

Grapes

If you’re having trouble getting sleep, have a bowl of grapes. While often overlooked as a potential sleep-inducer, grapes possess melatonin, which is the sleep-regulating hormone present in tart cherry juice as well. By adding grapes to your meal plan, your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle would be regulated, helping you to get sleep faster at night.

Bananas

Bananas are yet another excellent food for promoting good sleep. Bananas are excellent food sources of magnesium and potassium, which are two essential minerals for promoting muscle relaxation. Deficiency of magnesium has been linked with conditions such as night-time muscle cramps and restless leg syndrome, which are common sleep disrupters. Try eating a banana daily to experience relief from sleeping problems.

Spinach

Spinach is also among the leading natural sleep-inducers. This leafy green is packed with essential minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium, which play a vital role in inducing sleep. Calcium assists the body in producing melatonin, a hormone that enables your body to regulate its circadian rhythm. Try adding spinach to your salad at dinner, to reap the sleep-inducing benefits it offers. Apart from spinach, leafy greens such as kale, turnip greens, collard greens, and Swiss chard, are known to have the same effect.

Almonds

Those who find it difficult getting sleep at night, should definitely consider eating a handful of almonds before bed. This is because almonds are loaded with magnesium and calcium, which are natural sleep-inducers. Almond butter is a good choice for those who don’t like whole almonds.