What Food Helps You Sleep Faster?

Our sleep pattern can be significantly impacted by the food we eat. Certain foods and beverages have the natural ability to put you to sleep, while others might create heartburn or disturb your sleep. Eat nothing fatty, hot, or heavy in carbohydrates right before bed. They take longer to digest and may cause reflux, which keeps you from falling asleep.

Barley Grass

Numerous beneficial minerals, such as calcium, potassium, zinc, and tryptophan, are included in barley grass powder. It also contains phosphorus, which is necessary for healthy bones. It goes well with soup, salad dressing, scrambled eggs, and smoothies. Having trouble falling asleep at night might be caused by tossing and turning. Some foods might exacerbate heartburn, acid reflux, and other digestive problems that can keep you up at night.

Yummy Potatoes

Sweet potatoes provide the ideal balance of minerals that promote sleep, such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium, together with complex carbs to support stable blood sugar. For a delicious after-dinner snack, try baking them with a sprinkling of honey and salt. According to Rifkin, avoid eating a large meal or snacks soon before bed since this could cause indigestion and discomfort. Instead, she advises consuming light and healthful foods, like these 10-minute cherry yogurt popsicles.

Bananas

Rich in nutrients, bananas help support restful sleep. Their high potassium content lowers stress hormones, preventing cramping in the muscles and improving the quality of sleep. Additionally, they contain magnesium, which can lower anxiety and facilitate sleep. Try a banana as a snack, in a smoothie, or with milk or yogurt.

Cashews

There is evidence that walnuts may enhance sleep, despite the fact that sleep cycles are complicated and that no single food may make or break your ability to sleep. They include folate, a B-vitamin that helps raise serotonin levels in the brain, and tryptophan. For a bedtime snack, smear a handful on low-fat yogurt, an apple, or mix them into hummus. They can also be added to a salad or sprinkled on your cereal in the morning.

Figs

Figs have a potent combination of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron, whether they are fresh or dried. These minerals support blood flow and muscular contraction, both of which are necessary for slumbering. Figs contain the amino acid tryptophan, which promotes sleep. Another food that promotes sleep is fatty salmon, which also contains omega-3 fatty acids and tryptophan. When prepared as tea, lettuce provides a hypnotic and mildly sedative effect.

Saturated Fish

Regular consumers of fatty fish have been shown by researchers to have improved sleep habits. Their elevated amounts of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, which are connected to serotonin control, are probably the cause of this. Make an effort to include trout, halibut, salmon, and tuna in your usual diet. These meals are rich in magnesium and tryptophan, which are known to promote sleep.

Honey

Tryptophan is released into the brain by insulin, which is triggered by the natural sugars in honey. This is subsequently transformed into the hormones that cause sleep, melatonin and serotonin. Restocking liver glycogen with a glass of raw honey before bed helps the brain have easy access to fuel as it sleeps, thereby lowering the release of adrenaline and promoting restful sleep.

Tofu

Try including these foods in your diet if you're a vegetarian or vegan. They have a lot of calcium and protein, as well as isoflavones, which aid in the production of melatonin and serotonin, two hormones found in nature that induce sleep. Magnesium, which helps people sleep, and vitamins B3 and B6 are found in brown rice. Add it to your favorite sleep-inducing dish, such as chunky halibut and potato chowder or salmon with basil. These meals contain magnesium, which helps you go asleep by calming your muscles and nerves.

White Rice

White rice is easier on the stomach than meat, which might cause indigestion that keeps you up at night. It's also a rich source of magnesium, which has been connected to improved sleep, according to Qureshi. Another high-glycemic meal that makes you feel sleepy is oatmeal. Its high glycemic index causes an insulin surge that sends tryptophan to the brain, where it is converted to melatonin.

Tart Cherries

Many sleep-related advice exists, ranging from taking melatonin supplements to avoiding electronics just before bed. However, a recent TikTok fad is promoting sour cherry juice as an additional natural sleep aid. Aim for a sugar-free brand and sip it around one hour prior to going to bed. If you're worried about how it can impact your blood sugar, eat it with an almond or cheese snack or something else high in protein.