15 Foods That Help You Sleep Faster
It’s a fact that the four pillars of quality health are good sleep, regular exercise, mental well-being, and nutrition. This guide on foods that help you sleep will explore some common and not-so-common foods that will help you sleep faster.
Did you know there are foods that give a sleep-inducing reaction while also calming the nervous system?
If you are battling insomnia or you don’t sleep well, knowing foods with sleep-inducing properties is invaluable.
Foods That Help You Sleep Faster
Do you desire to sleep well and faster? This list of foods that help you sleep faster has all you need. Check it out!
1. Almonds
Topping our list of foods that help you sleep faster is almonds. Almond is a magic food–loaded with minerals like magnesium, which is vital for quality and long-lasting sleep.
A study in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine revealed that magnesium levels are directly responsible for poor sleep and restless nights.
Bearing this in mind, you should eat more almonds as an after-dinner snack to help you sleep.
2. Cheese
Most of us, at some point or another, have taken a glass of warm milk to get some sleep. A number of dairy products have similar tricks.
Since dairy products are high in calcium, and calcium is needed by the brain to produce melatonin, dairy products are great for a peaceful, long-lasting sleep.
As an added advantage, calcium helps to regulate muscle movement, which reduces jerky sleep and helps you sleep soundly.
3. Walnuts
Walnuts are popular for their heavy tryptophan content – an amino acid that’s well known for causing sleepiness. It’s the same compound responsible for that drowsy after eating a lot of turkey during Thanksgiving.
What’s more, walnuts stimulate melatonin production, a potent natural sleep inducer in the human body.
4. Romaine Lettuce
Leafy greens are good for your health, but did you know that they are also a powerful sleep inducer? Lettuce, in particular, is loaded with lactucarium. Commonly known as “lettuce opium,” this potent substance is a sedative that helps you relax and sleep.
With this in mind, you should add salads to your dinner if you are having trouble sleeping. The sedative abilities of lettuce, and a good bedtime routine, could work wonders for you.
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5. Salmon
Salmon is a great source of vitamin B6, which is necessary for healthy sleep. While vitamin B6 plays a lot of roles in the human body, one of its most important roles is to regulate sleep and metabolize tryptophan.
If salmon is not your thing, you can turn to halibut, garlic, tuna, and even pistachios, as they have the same amount of vitamin B6.
6. Corn Chips
While corn chips are a little less healthy than other foods on this list, they have a place in the class of sleep-inducing foods. This is because corn chip has a high glycemic index, which means they are burnt quickly in the body.
This causes a sudden surge in blood sugar, which results in a dip in energy. While eating foods with high glycemic index is not advisable for stable energy levels and mood, it is a way to nudge yourself to sleep.
7. Jasmine Rice
According to a 2007 research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who ate food with a healthy amount of jasmine rice slept off faster than people who ate other types of rice.
With a high glycemic index, jasmine rice works in much the same way corn chips do and helps you sleep off quickly.
8. Tart Cherry Juice
If you are struggling to sleep, ignore the nightcap and get some tart cherry juice instead.
According to research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food by the Universities of Pennsylvania and Rochester scientists, a glass of tart cherry juice has sleep-inducing benefits that can fight insomnia and restless sleep.
Only ensure that you buy unsweetened cherry juice since large doses of sugar could offset the benefits of the cherry juice.
9. Cereal
Cereal is a surprisingly potent food when it comes to inducing sleep. Since it contains protein in the form of milk and the cereal itself is a high-glycemic carbohydrate, it appeals to two of the key components your body needs to sleep soundly.
10. Wildflower Honey
Honey is loaded with natural sugar so, if you need help sleeping, it could be just the thing. Unlike processed, white sugar, honey increases insulin levels while also allowing tryptophan to work wonders in the body.
For best results, add a tablespoon of honey to a cup of chamomile tea or mint and then drink it thirty minutes before bedtime.
11. Teas
Chamomile, also called passion fruit, and mint teas can help the body relax and help you sleep.
This is because these teas have high glycine levels, a sedative compound that relaxes the body and helps you nudge off to sleep easily.
12. Kale
Romaine lettuce is a potent sleep aid, but so is its healthy companion, kale. Kale and other dark green veggies are packed full of calcium.
Also available in dairy products, calcium helps the body to create and use melatonin and also promotes sound sleep. To make the most of your green leafy veggies, try a salad with a blend of spinach and mustard greens.
13. lobster
While it is not the most cost-effective before-bedtime food, lobster is an amazing source of tryptophan, needed for sound sleep.
If lobster isn’t your thing or way above your budget, then try shrimp or other crustaceans.
14. Elk meat
Elk meat is endowed with tryptophan and, while it is not easy to find, is one of the foods that helps you sleep faster and give. quality sleep
For best results, add to a carbohydrate meal (such as pesto pasta) to ensure tryptophan moves through the brain seamlessly.
15. Chickpeas
A common food in the Middle Eastern diet, chickpeas are filled with tryptophan, which facilitates healthy sleep.
For best results, try some tablespoons of homemade hummus with whole-grain crackers an hour or so before you sleep.
Summary
While falling asleep could sometimes be an issue, these 15 foods that help you sleep faster will take the edge off.
So when next your night is restless or insomnia sets in, look to these foods before reaching out for those pills.