Eight Top Foods to Help You Sleep

If don’t get enough sleep, you put yourself at risk for a whole host of health issues, including increasing your chance of contracting colds and viruses, experiencing brain fog and poor memory, and even suffering from neurodegenerative and cardiovascular issues.

• While it would be easy to just pop a NyQuil, a melatonin supplement, or a sleeping pill, all those medications come with potential side effects, including next-day brain fog.

So, it is good to know that you can get what you need from some common, natural foods:

Cherries: a natural source of melatonin, a hormone which helps the body relax and wind down. Melatonin helps to counteract cortisol spikes. Studies show drinking tart cherry juice 2x day increases sleep quality and duration by 84 minutes after 2 weeks.

Kiwi: high in vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K, and antioxidants. There is a direct correlation with eating kiwi before bed and better sleep. One study even showed a 13% increase in sleep duration.

Turkey: high in an amino acid called tryptophan, which increases your body’s production of melatonin and is linked to improved sleep. Also thought to make you more tired because of its high protein content.

Walnuts: rich in protein, fiber, and an omega-3 fatty acid, alpha linolenic acid (ALA). Walnuts have the highest level of ALA of all the tree nuts. ALA is converted to DHA in the body to increase serotonin, which is a precursor to melatonin. Other than cherries, walnuts are one of the best sources of naturally occurring melatonin.

· Walnuts also have magnesium, which is necessary for GABA receptors to function properly to regulate sleep. Research shows supplementing with magnesium helps improve all physiological markers associated with insomnia.

Fatty Fish: contains Omega-3 fatty acids, but also has high levels of vitamin D, which increases serotonin production to promote better sleep. Those who eat fatty fish sleep better and have better vitamin D levels, according to studies. Choose wild caught fish. Salmon, sardines, and tuna have some of the highest vitamin D levels.

Almonds: high in melatonin and magnesium. One study showed improvement in insomnia after participants ate ten almonds per day for 2 weeks.

Chamomile tea: high amount of antioxidant compounds, specifically apigenin, that binds benzodiazepine receptors to the brain to produce Zen-like state. Also helps relieve anxiety that can cause sleep issues.

Bananas: besides potassium, also contain tryptophan and magnesium. Together all three compounds work to enhance pathways to fall and stay asleep for longer.

Sleep tight~

**Content provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is derived from information from Dr. Will Cole. It is not to be considered medical advice.**