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If you struggle to fall asleep, you may already have a few tried-and-true tricks to make bedtime easier. Strategies like limiting screen time or adding white noise may have already become a useful part of your nighttime routine. But what you might not know is that the moments leading up to bedtime are just as essential for better sleep. In fact, there are certain foods you can snack on before hitting your pillow that are more effective than counting sheep.
It’s no surprise that sugar and caffeine didn’t make the list, but if you’re wondering what foods can facilitate quicker ZZZ’s, we have the answers. Read on for our full list of grab-and-go foods that’ll help you sleep better — plus see exactly why each one works so well.
Experts Featured in This Article:
Brenna Larson, MS, RDN, is a nutrition specialist at Factor.
Foods to Help You Sleep
The foods you eat before bed can make a real difference. Here are a few that can help you fall asleep quicker, and sleep through the night.
- Tart Cherries: Studies have shown that tart cherries and cherry juice can help you catch some ZZZ’s. This is because cherries are a natural source of magnesium, melatonin, and tryptophan. “Melatonin is a hormone that regulates your body’s sleep-wake cycle, and tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps to produce melatonin,” Brenna Larson, MS, RDN, previously told PS. This is also why you see cherry juice in so many “sleepy-girl mocktails.”
- Bananas: Bananas are filled with the natural muscle relaxants potassium and magnesium. In addition, they contain tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin and melatonin to help you sleep all night long.
- Milk: There’s actually truth to the idea that warm milk can help you sleep, although experts suspect that psychology has something to do with it. But dairy in general seems to work because calcium has a direct role in melatonin production.
- Poultry: It’s no wonder you’re in serious need of a nap after Thanksgiving dinner. According to the Sleep Foundation, poultry (including turkey and chicken) is rich in tryptophan, which can affect sleep and melatonin production.
- Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate sometimes gets a bad rep for its caffeine content. However, it also contains flavonoids, which may improve mental and cognitive well-being, making it easier to relax and fall asleep.
- Chamomile Tea: There’s a reason chamomile has been used for ages to help insomnia. This tea includes a flavonoid called apigenin, which relaxes the body and acts like a mild sedative.
- Oatmeal: Oats are packed with melatonin, and the grains raise your blood sugar level, which can make you tired. Mix in a little milk, and you’ll be snoozing in no time.
- Peanuts: Peanuts are filled with niacin (vitamin B3), which promotes the release of serotonin in the body. Spread some protein-packed peanut butter on whole-wheat bread for the perfect before-bed snack.
- Yogurt: We mentioned that milk is a great before-sleep snack, and yogurt is another dairy that works well. Have some low-fat Greek yogurt to reap the snooze-inducing effects of tryptophan.
- Cheese and Crackers: This combo brings together dairy and carbs for the ultimate nighttime snack. The cheese has potassium, which helps with melatonin production, and crackers provide a source of tryptophan.
- Hummus: Chickpeas are rich in vitamin B6, which helps the body produce melatonin, among other benefits. If you’re not in the mood to roast some chickpeas, try hummus with veggies or whole-wheat crackers.
- Honey: Honey is a sweet and unsuspecting ingredient packed with health benefits. When it comes to sleep, honey raises your insulin levels so that tryptophan (which is converted into serotonin and melatonin) can enter the brain and work its sleepy magic. Try dripping a little honey on your Greek yogurt to kick it into high gear.
- Pumpkin Seed Powder: You might not have even known that pumpkin seed powder existed, but it has more tryptophan than a glass of milk. Mix it with applesauce and spread on whole-wheat toast for an unexpectedly yummy and effective snack.
- Leafy Greens: It always comes back to spinach and kale. These greens are packed with calcium, which helps your body build melatonin from tryptophan — bedtime salad, anyone?
— Additional reporting by Chandler Plante
Caitlyn Fitzpatrick is a PS contributor who’s been writing about entertainment and fitness for PS since 2015.
Chandler Plante is an assistant editor for PS Health & Fitness. Previously, she worked as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributed to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she overshares on the internet, creating content about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.