We asked nutritionists about what foods can make you sleepy, if cherry juice is one of them, and how we can support a restful night’s sleep.
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Sleep is essential to our physical, mental, and emotional health. Yet, more than 30% of adults have symptoms of insomnia. The quality of sleep that we experience each night impacts our hormones, metabolism, and even our memory. So, it’s important to prioritize our sleep. With the right diet, lifestyle changes, and supplements, we can do just that – ensure that we’re all getting the sleep we need to stay healthy.
Taking a holistic look at our health, foods play a powerful role in our overall health. And the right foods can help promote a healthy sleep pattern. Sarah Herrington, a Nutritionist at Brio Medical, a cancer treatment center in Arizona, and Ellie Stamerjohn, a Dietician at Nourish, a nutrition care platform, share their expertise about how foods can impact our sleep patterns and the holistic habits we can adopt to ensure that we have the best sleep possible. For extra sleep support, they also offer their insight on the best supplements for a good night’s rest. Of course, as Ellie cautions, “It’s always best to discuss taking supplements with your healthcare provider first.”
“Our bodies naturally produce melatonin to help us fall asleep, but exposure to light and other factors can diminish our bodies’ production and natural rhythm/response,” Sarah says. For those of us who need a little help getting a good night’s rest, these tips will help.
What ingredients should I look for in natural sleep aids?
If you’re one to immediately reach for a supplement to help you sleep, start by mimicking nature and choose a sleep aid that contains ingredients our body already naturally produces like melatonin. “To help you fall asleep faster, the best ingredients to look for include melatonin, l-theanine, and magnesium,” Sarah explains. For those who look for ingredients backed by research and studies, Ellie shares that these natural ingredients, “have more robust research to show they can decrease sleep latency and improve overall sleep quality in humans.”
Other popular ingredients in sleep aids help to calm our nervous system and manage stress. Sarah has a few suggestions for ingredients to look for. “L-theanine is known for inducing acute feelings of relaxation and reducing stress, which can help individuals calm their mind and body prior to sleep. Magnesium is necessary for proper neurotransmitter signaling and synthesis in the brain.”
Managing stress is a big part of having a restful night’s sleep. Ellie suggests, “Adaptogens such as ashwagandha and tulsi, which work overtime to reduce nervous system stress and fatigue, may impact your ability to sleep soundly.” To help you stay asleep, she suggests that you can use “Lemon balm, magnolia, and reishi to reduce cortisol levels, which may influence restlessness during the night or waking up between 1-4 am.”
What foods will help me to be sleepy?
A whole foods diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, meats, herbs, etc., is part of a healthy lifestyle. The same is true for sleep. Foods can energize and promote a feeling of calmness needed for a good night’s rest. When slowing down at night, reach for foods rich in tryptophan like tart cherry juice. “Tryptophan is involved in the production precursors of serotonin and melatonin, neurotransmitters that help to regulate sleep,” Sarah says. “Foods like turkey, eggs, pumpkin, walnuts, and spirulina are high in tryptophan. In order to build neurotransmitters, tryptophan also needs magnesium, vitamin B3, and vitamin B6 from foods like pumpkin seeds, dates, almonds, and soy.” Ellie suggests eating a diet rich in foods that are important in regulating your nervous system. “Fatty fish, such as salmon, are rich in omega-3’s and vitamin D, which are important for serotonin production and sleep regulation. Kiwis also have been known to support sleep due to the slow release of fructose and inclusion of fiber.”
Just as there are good foods to eat, there are foods to avoid or minimize. “Too many high glycemic carbohydrates can make you feel sleepy due to a blood-sugar crash afterward, but this isn’t necessarily a good thing,” Sarah warns. “An evening serving of healthy, low glycemic carbohydrates can help support sleep. Sweet potato, cherries, or forbidden rice are options rich in magnesium, potassium, and low-glycemic carbohydrates. These work well paired with foods rich in tryptophan, also helping to increase concentrations.”
How long should I stop eating before bed?
A healthy diet throughout the day can also help you sleep better. Eat consistently. Load up on whole foods. According to Ellie, this also helps to prevent late-night cravings. “Inconsistent meal times during the day, snacking, and high glycemic carbohydrate intake can all lead to dysregulated leptin levels, causing hunger to occur in the later hours of the evening, inviting in late-night snacking.” So, it almost goes without saying, if you want to sleep better, you have to eat better. “To optimize sleep, stick to balanced meals at regular intervals during the day, place the bulk of your carbohydrate intake later in the day, and avoid snacking in between meals.”
For a restful sleep, you’ll want your body to focus on repair rather than digest. It takes work for our bodies to properly digest our meals. That’s why experts suggest that you stop eating 2-3 hours before bed. Sarah also suggests to “Avoid excessively large meals too close to bedtime, as digestion begins to slow down.” She also stresses the importance of maintaining a healthy diet, especially if you’re prone to insomnia. “Do not consume any high glycemic carbohydrates within 4 hours of going to sleep, such as cereal, dessert, or bread.”