7 Best Foods to Eat Before Bed for a Restful Night’s Sleep

Getting enough sleep is absolutely crucial for the proper functioning of your body and your mind. But many people do not get the recommended amount of sleep each night because they are tossing and turning. While there are many sleep aids like melatonin or prescription medications available, instead of going that route, try a natural way to enhance the quality of your sleep instead.

It’s easier than you think and what you need may already be in your fridge, according to CNET. Some foods can improve your slumber because the nutrients they contain promote better sleep as well as better overall health. The foods and drinks you consume before bed can help you sleep like a baby. Here are seven of the best to try.

Kiwi Fruit

Surprisingly, kiwi fruits are one of the best foods to eat before you go to bed, according to Healthline. That’s because the fruit  is high in serotonin, a brain chemical that helps to regulate your sleep. These nutritious fruits could also benefit your digestive health, help to reduce cholesterol, and reduce the inflammation that may be keeping you up at night.

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Turkey

Turkey is a perfect dinner choice or healthy bedtime snack. This beneficial protein food is full of important nutrients and the amino acid tryptophan which increases your body’s production of melatonin,  the sleep  inducing hormone that regulates your body’s circadian rhythm. The protein in turkey could also promote sleepiness.

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Almonds

Almonds are an all-around healthy food because it is chock full of nutrients, healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants. But you may not know that these tree nuts can also help improve the quality of your sleep. That’s because of the magnesium – an important mineral – the nuts contain. Almonds, along with other tree nuts are also a good source of melatonin.

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Tart Cherries

Tart cherries are a star when it comes to sleep. That’s because this fruit contains four different sleep-regulating compounds that include tryptophan, melatonin, serotonin, and potassium, reported MedicalNewsToday. The antioxidants, called polyphenols that are found in tart cherries may also play a role in regulating your sleep.

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Warm Milk

Drinking a glass of warm milk before bed has been a common remedy for sleeplessness for generations and it really works. That’s because milk contains melatonin, tryptophan, calcium, and vitamin D. Having a hot beverage like warm milk or herbal teas is a good bedtime ritual to begin.

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Fatty Fish

Fatty fish, like salmon, could also improve the quality of your sleep because of the vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids – two nutrients that are important to regulating serotonin –  that is found in this healthy food. Fatty fish also contains potassium, and magnesium that also help with sleep.

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Chamomile Tea

You can always enjoy a calming cup of chamomile tea before bed. This popular herbal tea is well known for its flavones; antioxidants that help to protect you against chronic diseases, according to Healthline. One of these is apigenin, which binds to receptors in your brain that help to make you sleepy and reduce insomnia.

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