5 Foods That May Help You Sleep Better

key takeaways

• There is no miracle food or drink that will ensure a good night’s sleep.
• Eating dinner too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep.
• Due to fatigue, the desire to eat high-calorie foods increases.
• Foods such as milk, fatty fish, and some fruits can help increase the quality of sleep at night.
• Caffeine, alcohol, and foods that cause reflux can cause sleep disturbances and changes in your sleep cycle.

Sleep is considered to be the most important factor along with diet and exercise when it comes to staying healthy.

But because of bad sleep at night More problems More than lethargic, especially if you’re drunk weight loss journeyLack of sleep affects your health. mood, metabolismand even Foods you like,

“Many things impact how well you sleep, and what you eat is one of the biggest,” says registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade.

You can eat different foods to induce sleep, but When? How you eat is just as important, she says. “Changing mealtimes can be a helpful change.”

Palinski-Wade says that chrono-nutrition, or the effect of food and meal timing on the sleep-wake cycle, is a hot topic in nutrition research.

Turns out that when meal timing is out of sync with circadian rhythms, it can lead to the following problems: Poor digestionwhich can interfere with sleep. Early research suggests Eating meals less than three hours before bedtime can impair sleep quality.

The relationship between food and sleep is complex. There’s no magic snack that will put you to sleep like a sleeping pill, but there are dietary changes you can make to help you sleep better.

According to Palinski-Wade and scientific research, here’s what you need to know.

The relationship between food, sleep and weight

There are definitely foods that keep you awake. And there’s a good reason to know what they are-Poor sleep may make it harder to lose weightHere’s what the research says:

What foods should you avoid right before bed?

Before we dive into the sleep-enhancing menu, let’s take a look at the foods and drinks that can disrupt your sleep.

Top 5 foods that can help you sleep better

despite what TikTok Influencers Can PromiseThere’s no proof that any food or drink will send you to dreamland.

But Research shows Certain foods may increase your chances of getting a good night’s sleep.

1. Tart Cherry Juice

,A pilot study demonstrated “When fresh cherry juice is consumed twice a day, it effectively reduces the time it takes to fall asleep and may be partly responsible for improvements in insomnia in people over the age of 50,” explains Palinski-Wade.

This is possibly because Tart cherries help in the production of melatonin, melatonin is a hormone It is produced in your body when it starts getting dark. It helps induce sleep and keep you asleep.

Although research is limited, if you’re having trouble sleeping, adding tart cherry juice to your routine may help. If you want a little sparkle to balance out the tartness, you can mix it with seltzer.

2. Kiwi fruit

Another fruit that may improve sleep is kiwifruit. “It’s a good source of serotonin”, says Palinski-Wade.

serotonin is a neurotransmitter which plays a role in controlling behavior, mood, and memory. Higher production of serotonin plays a role in sleep-wake cycleYour body needs it Make sleep-inducing melatonin,

3. Foods rich in tryptophan

You might have heard tryptophanIt’s a hormone that’s been (wrongly) linked to Thanksgiving turkey and post-Thanksgiving nap,

Even though turkey isn’t a sleep cure, that doesn’t mean foods with high tryptophan levels can’t help with sleep. “Tryptophan-rich foods like whole grains, milk, and a high-protein diet can help with sleep.” Tryptophan may help improve sleep “The results need to be improved,” Palinski-Wade says.

Fun facts: MyFitnessPal has one of the largest food databases, with over 19 million foods. Start tracking your bedtime snacks On the App,

4. Fatty fish and seafood

Fatty fish like salmon can be a sleep-promoting food. Fatty fish is rich in vitamin D. This is important because Vitamin D deficiency can adversely affect sleep.

In addition, fish is high in Omega-3 Fatty AcidPreliminary research suggests a link between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and sleep problems.

5. Milk and dairy products

Dairy is another food that contains melatonin (and/or tryptophan), so having a glass of warm milk or eating some cheese during the day may help you fall asleep. A study A study on hospital patients found that those who drank warm milk mixed with honey for three days experienced improved sleep.

Bottom-line

If you’re looking for a way to get more rest, some simple dietary changes can help. Avoid foods and drinks that keep you awake, consume foods and drinks that have natural sleep-inducing properties, and try not to eat dinner too close to bedtime.

One way to learn more about what affects your sleep is to MyFitnessPal sleep functionThis in-app sleep feature integrates sleep data from Health Connect by Android and Apple Health.

All you have to do is check your sleep data every morning. The app will show you how much sleep you got and whether you had any problems to fall asleep or stay asleep,

Then, you can look at the food you recorded that day to see if the food affected your sleep quality. Over time, you’ll be able to identify sleep-promoting foods and change your dietary habits to improve your sleep.

if you are ready Improve your sleep and reach your health goals, Connect your sleep tracker today,