The food we eat affects our quality of sleep. For a better night’s sleep and ultimately, overall healthier life, we need to avoid caffeine and cheeseburgers near bedtime. Instead, we should opt for healthy snacks that can help us settle down for a quality rest.
Here are some of the best foods that can help us asleep faster, longer, and deeper.
Kiwi
Kiwi is said to be an excellent bedtime snack as it contains vitamin C, antioxidants and serotonin. A clinical study revealed that eating two kiwis before bed can help a person fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Kale
Leafy greens like kale boast healthy doses of calcium and magnesium. According to studies, people who are deficient in these minerals experience difficulty in falling asleep.
Bananas
Bananas are one of the best insomnia-fighting ingredients. Aside from being rich in potassium, this sweet with firm and creamy flesh fruit is also loaded with B complex vitamins which are needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness), according to an article published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
Almonds
Almonds are loaded with potassium and B-vitamins which are all beneficial in calming our nervous system. We can try spreading some almond butter on toast with bananas slices to enjoy this benefit.
Walnuts
Thanks to the walnuts’ richness in tryptophan, a sleep-enhancing amino acid. In the brain, tryptophan is converted to serotonin, which induces sleep. Munch on some walnuts after dinner to have a good night’s sleep.
Lettuce
According to a study published in Food Science and Biotechnology, lettuce contains lactucarium, which has sedative properties.
Romaine lettuce, in particular, is an ideal food for sleeping as it has the highest content of lactucarium. For this benefit, we simply need to simmer three to four large lettuce leaves in a cup of water for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, add two sprigs of mint, and sip just before going to bed.
Cherries
Cherries enables the body to release melatonin, which promotes a cycle of falling asleep and waking up naturally. By simply eating the fruit, a person dealing with jet lag can recalibrate his body.
Also in a small study, researchers have found that consumption of a cup of cherry juice twice a day can help adults with chronic insomnia sleep better.
