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If you think what you fuel your body with doesn’t affect the way you sleep, think again! What you eat has a direct affect on your bodies various systems and can ultimately be the difference between a peaceful sleep or a night of tossing and turning.
Foods that are high in tryptophan or melatonin are great for a restful night.
Melatonin is a hormone which regulates your sleep-wake cycle, your body will produce it at night to let you know that it’s time to sleep.
Tryptophan on the other hand is an amino acid that your body cannot make, it is supplied to the body by either diet or supplements. Once tryptophan enters the body it’s used in creating serotonin, a neurotransmitter, and serotonin is in turn used to create the hormone melatonin.
If you’re sleep is suffering, don’t longer at the fridge any longer! Try the following foods in the lead up to bed time:
Milk contains tryptophan. The sugar in milk is the perfect compound for the tryptophan to bond to and allows it to cross the blood-brain barrier easily.
Bananas are filled with potassium and magnesium, two essential vitamins your body needs for muscle relaxation, as well as tryptophan.
Spinach, like bananas are high in potassium and magnesium. Additionally, spinach contains calcium which helps the body produce melatonin.
Almonds are filled with magnesium and are a great healthy snack food. What you may not have known, is that almonds also contain melatonin too!
Cherries are a good source of antioxidants and they contain high levels of melatonin! Australian cherries are only in season from November to February so if they’re out of season, a glass of cherry juice can also boost melatonin levels in the body and naturally induce sleep.
Fish is a great source of protein and can be helpful when it comes to regulating your sleep cycle as it contains vitamin B6 that is critical for your body to produce melatonin as well as tryptophan!
If all else fails a chamomile tea is a guaranteed sleep inducer thanks to the antioxidant apigenin. Apigenin binds to certain brain receptors, reducing anxiety and works as a mild sedative.
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