As we all know getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to setting us up for the day. We are more likely to be productive, get to the gym, plan our food and eat well for the day if we’ve had a good night’s rest.
Making sure we get a good night’s sleep can be complex, from how stimulated we are before bed, to how much light is let into our bedrooms at night and even what we eat! We have all felt the impact of food on our sleep quality at one point or another. Whether you have had a big meal or some caffeine too late in the day, sleep becomes compromised.
Foods to Help You Sleep
But what about the food we eat? Can that affect how we sleep? As you can imagine a well rounded, balanced diet will almost always lead to a better night's rest. There are also a number of foods that help you sleep better. Foods to help you sleep include:
- Kiwi Fruit: Kiwi fruit is part of a great range of foods that help you sleep, possessing numerous vitamins and minerals (mainly vitamin C & E), but more importantly a high level of serotonin and folate.
- Almonds: Almonds are one the best foods for sleep, containing an excellent source of magnesium, providing 19% of our needs in one serving. Consuming adequate magnesium may improve sleep quality thanks to its muscle relaxing effects. Almonds are also a source of melatonin which regulates our internal clock and helps prepare the body for bed, making it one of the best foods for sleep.
- Turkey: Who would’ve thought foods to promote sleep include turkey! Not only is turkey a lean protein source but it is also high in the amino acid tryptophan which increases the production of melatonin.
- Chamomile Tea: Although we’re talking about foods to help you sleep, we couldn’t go past Chamomile Tea. This type of tea is known for its flavones, which are a type of antioxidant that reduces swelling in the body and helps promote sleep. Numerous studies have been done that show drinking it before bed can improve the body’s ability to fall asleep and improve sleep quality.
- Tart Cherry Juice: We’ll get back onto foods to help you sleep next, we promise! Known for its role in reducing insomnia, tart cherry juice is also a great option to help quality of sleep with its high levels of melatonin.
- Fatty Fish: Last but not least, fatty fish are some of the best foods for sleep. Fatty fish are high in healthy omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D and this combination has the potential to improve sleep quality by increasing serotonin in the body.
We’ve talked about foods that help you sleep, but it’s also important to think about the ones that don’t. Caffeine, fizzy drinks and alcohol have all been shown to decrease our ability to fall asleep as well as our sleep quality. For a good night’s rest think about cutting these out before bed.
To sum up, there are a number of foods that promote sleep, but more importantly, ensure you maintain a well balanced diet, rich in vitamins and minerals.
Taking stock of our night time hygiene and having a routine to ensure we don’t overstimulate ourselves before best is also crucial for a good night’s rest.
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