Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for your overall health and wellbeing, but sometimes it can be difficult to get the rest you need.
While there are many ways to help improve your quality of sleep, one of the most natural methods is through diet. Eating certain foods before bedtime can have an unexpected calming effect on your body, helping to promote relaxation and better sleep.
In this article, we’ll look at the 10 best foods that can help you naturally enjoy a more restful night’s sleep.
Bananas
Like a warm hug from Mother Nature herself, eating bananas before bedtime may be just what you need for those restless nights.
Bananas are a sweet and delicious way to get some much-needed shut eye. They’re packed with magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6, and tryptophan – all of which can help soothe the body into sleep mode.
Bananas are also a great source of energy, as they contain natural sugars and fiber. They are also low in fat, and can help to reduce blood pressure and improve heart health.
It’s an incredibly popular fruit that’s enjoyed in many different forms – from smoothies to salads to desserts.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a great choice for those looking to get better sleep naturally. It has many stress relieving properties that can help people relax and prepare for bedtime.
Oats contain melatonin, which helps regulate your body’s internal clock, making it easier to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. They also have magnesium and calcium, which are known to have calming effects on the mind and nervous system.
Eating oatmeal before going to bed may create an ideal environment in both the body and mind needed for a good night’s rest.
Oatmeal also has other benefits such as providing essential vitamins and nutrients that keep you healthy all day long. All these factors make oatmeal one of the best foods to include in any diet if you want to enjoy a peaceful nights sleep without relying on medications or supplements.
Walnuts
Oatmeal is a comforting dish that can help you relax before bed. But walnuts offer an even better nutritional boost for the sleep-deprived.
Walnut nutrition includes omega 3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium and fiber. These essential nutrients are crucial in helping to regulate hormones and promoting restful sleep patterns.
Walnuts also provide many other benefits besides just good nutrition. They contain melatonin which helps regulate circadian rhythms for more consistent sleeping habits.
They contain zinc which boosts serotonin levels; and their high vitamin B6 content increases dopamine production—all of which contribute to deeper and longer sleeps.
Adding crunchy walnuts to your evening meals will encourage slower eating which leads to better digestion and improved absorption of food components like proteins and carbohydrates that further aid relaxation before bedtime.
Almonds
Eating almonds before bedtime is a great way to help promote better sleep quality. Almonds are rich in magnesium, which has a calming effect on the body and helps relax muscles for an easier transition into restful slumber.
Eating almonds can also encourage healthier eating habits overall—scientific studies have found that people who consume nuts regularly tend to get more beneficial nutrients like vitamins and minerals than those who don’t.
The healthy fats in almonds can also help keep you fuller longer throughout the night, while their high fiber content keeps your digestive system running smoothly.
All of these benefits combined make them one of the best snacks to reach for when trying to improve your sleeping habits naturally. And with all the tasty varieties available, it’s easy to find one that fits your preferences!
Apples
Continuing on from the health benefits of almonds, apples are another food that can help you get a good night’s rest. Eating apples is an especially effective way to naturally promote sleep because they contain melatonin and quercetin – two compounds associated with better sleep.
Apples also have plenty of other benefits as well; they’re high in fiber and vitamin C while being low in calories which can help with weight management. Additionally, eating apples may reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, asthma, and various types of cancer.
In terms of its effects on sleep quality specifically, research has found that consuming apple juice before bedtime helps improve total sleeping time and reduces the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.
All things considered, if you’re looking for natural ways to enhance your slumber then adding some extra apples into your diet could be beneficial for both body and mind!
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is a great option for anyone looking to improve their sleep habits naturally. Not only does it have dietary benefits, with its antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, but also offers sleep inducing properties due to the chemical components of chamomile.
This makes it an ideal choice for those who suffer from insomnia or other sleeping disorders as well as those looking to increase the amount of restful sleep they get each night.
Chamomile has been used medicinally for centuries and continues to be popular today because of this versatility – mild enough for children yet strong enough to help adults relax into a deep slumber.
To reap the maximum benefits, try having a cup of chamomile tea before bedtime every night!
Tart Cherries
Chamomile tea may be a soothing way to help you sleep, but tart cherries have been known to take it up a notch. This little fruit packs a powerful punch when it comes to helping your body drift off into dreamland—it’s nothing short of miraculous!
Tart cherries are packed with natural melatonin and other compounds that can knock out even the most stubborn insomniac. Eating dark chocolate before bedtime is also said to increase serotonin levels in the brain, which induces relaxation and better sleep quality.
Similarly, spicy foods full of capsaicin can cause drowsiness by calming down nerve activity. But why stop at just these few options? There are plenty of other naturally-occurring ingredients that have been proven to improve sleep hygiene and ward away sleepless nights.
From herbal teas like valerian root or lemon balm to antioxidant-rich fruits such as kiwis or bananas, there’s something for everyone!
So if you’re looking for an easy, tasty way to get more zzz’s tonight, consider adding some healthy snacks from this list into your nighttime routine. You won’t regret it!
Milk
Milk is a popular remedy for those looking to get better sleep. It’s full of tryptophan and calcium, which have calming effects and can help reduce stress levels before bedtime. Plus, it’s warm temperature may make you feel cozy in the winter months.
However, people who suffer from lactose intolerance may find that drinking milk or other dairy products can disrupt their sleep cycle.
To combat this problem, there are various dairy alternatives on the market that don’t contain any lactose such as almond milk or coconut yogurt.
These can be consumed just like regular dairy products but won’t cause an upset stomach at night. Additionally, they provide important nutrients found in traditional dairy foods such as magnesium and Vitamin D.
Drinking either regular dairy or its substitutes into your nightly routine could help improve your overall quality of sleep without causing discomfort due to lactose intolerance.
Turkey
A good night’s rest is like a Turkey dinner for the body: it can be hearty and satisfying. Eating turkey can give you just what you need to get some shut-eye, as this protein-rich food contains an amino acid that produces serotonin, which helps promote natural sleep.
Turkey has also been linked to increased levels of melatonin in the body – a hormone responsible for regulating our internal clock and helping us fall asleep faster. This makes it the perfect snack before bedtime if you’re struggling with insomnia or having difficulty getting to sleep.
Turkey also offers other benefits besides aiding better sleep; its high iron content helps build muscle mass while its zinc content boosts your immune system. So don’t hesitate to add some turkey into your evening routine – it’ll help ensure sweet dreams!
Whole Grains
Whole grains are an excellent source of relaxation benefits, making them a great choice for getting a good night’s sleep.
They contain complex carbohydrates and fiber which can help to regulate your blood sugar levels throughout the day, promoting feelings of well-being and contentment before bedtime.
Whole grains also provide essential B vitamins that play an important role in maintaining healthy energy levels during the day so you don’t feel too sluggish at night.
Whole grains have been associated with improved immune function, reducing inflammation and helping the body fight off disease more efficiently.
By eating adequate amounts of whole grains on a regular basis, you can ensure your body has what it needs to rest properly through the night as part of its natural sleep cycle.
Grains provide long lasting energy to sustain daily activities without feeling overly tired afterwards, whole grain consumption may lead to better quality sleep when nighttime arrives.
To maximize these effects, try adding some oats or quinoa into your diet a few hours prior to going to bed. Doing this will give your system time to digest these nutrients effectively and prepare itself for restful slumber.
Bottom Line
Sleep is essential for our physical and mental health. But sometimes, it can be hard to get a good night’s rest with the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Fortunately, there are some natural foods that we can include in our diet to help us drift off into dreamland at night.
Bananas, oatmeal, walnuts, almonds, apples, tart cherries, milk, turkey and whole grains all have sleep-inducing properties that make them great additions to any nighttime snack or meal.
These healthy foods symbolize a time when worries melt away as you drift off into a peaceful slumber. So next time you’re having trouble sleeping, reach for one of these delicious foods and let yourself slip into a peaceful sleep.
