5 Foods That Help You Sleep

5 Foods That Help You Sleep

Jan 15, 2015


There’s nothing like getting a good nights rest. It can do wonders for your body. The benefits of sleep include improving your decision-making abilities, decreasing anxiety, fighting weight gain and even stabilize blood sugar. When I’m facing a long schedule I tailor my grocery list to meet my body’s demand.

1. Fish

Consider planning your meals to work for you and your body by including fish. Most fish—and especially salmon, halibut and tuna—boast vitamin B6, which is needed to make melatonin (a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness). Don’t forget to control your portion so that your body doesn’t have to work to hard to process it then pull those curtains to and snuggle up because soon you’ll be wading in sweet dreams. Read the rest of the article here.

2. Rice

Eating rice approximately four hours before you go to bed can help cut the time it takes to fall asleep by half! The way the body digests rice is very beneficial to those wanting to get some sleep. Jasmine rice goes well with fish too; you are two more dishes away from a dinner party. Read the article.

3. Cherries

Before you send out those dinner invitations make sure have some cherry tart juice on hand and stemmed glasses to sip it from. Skip the sweet red wine tonight and focus on your sleeping delight. In a small study, melatonin-rich tart cherry juice was shown to aid sleep. When adults with chronic insomnia drank a cup of tart cherry juice twice a day they experienced some relief in the severity of their insomnia. Read the article here

4. Walnuts

Walnuts are naturally their own source of melatonin, which people often take in order to regulate their sleeping habits. It is a great late night snack that can help you sleep and isn't a large meal for your body to digest. Read about other benefits here.

5. Honey

Don't worry about ruining your diet with this last helpful tip. Only a spoonful of honey is enough to tell your mind to turn off orexin (a neurotransmitter that creates alertness). If you aren't a fan of eating honey on its own, feel free to mix it into a decaffeinated tea before turning off the lights. The chemistry that comes over your body after your stomach ingests warm beverages is so very comforting and the perfect feeling to nod off to. Read the article here. 

Whether you’re a light sleeper, a short sleeper, or battling insomnia -- by adding at least 5 foods to your diet that yield natural sleep you can make a world of difference in the preservation of your body after a good 6-8 hour resting period. Avoid bags under your eyes by filling your grocery bags with a better source of fuel for your fierce body. You need it and you deserve it – sweet dreams.