The Best Foods and Drinks for Better Sleep

Choosing the right mattress is crucial for a good night’s sleep, but your diet also plays a significant role. What you eat and drink in the hours before bed can either help you drift off peacefully or leave you tossing and turning. The right evening snack can prepare your body for rest, while the wrong one can disrupt your sleep cycle.

We’re here to help you understand how simple dietary choices can lead to more restful nights. This guide will walk you through the best foods and drinks for better sleep, highlighting key sleep-promoting nutrients. We'll also share which items you should avoid before your head hits the pillow.

Certain nutrients send signals to your brain that it’s time to wind down. Focusing on foods rich in specific compounds can naturally improve your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep (Northwestern Medicine, 2023; Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Both Northwestern Medicine and the Cleveland Clinic emphasize that what you eat directly impacts key hormones and minerals that regulate rest. Let's explore the science behind these sleep-promoting nutrients.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that your body uses to produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep and mood. Serotonin is then converted into melatonin, the primary hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle. Because your body can't produce tryptophan on its own, you need to get it from your diet.

Often called the "sleep hormone," melatonin tells your body when it's time to rest. While your brain produces it naturally in response to darkness, you can also get a small boost from certain foods. Eating melatonin-rich foods in the evening can help reinforce your body's natural sleep signals.

This essential mineral plays a vital role in hundreds of bodily processes, including sleep. Magnesium helps calm your nervous system by binding to GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors, which are responsible for quieting nerve activity. As noted by the Cleveland Clinic, a lack of magnesium can lead to restlessness and trouble sleeping.

Working alongside magnesium, potassium helps relax your muscles and can prevent nighttime leg cramps that might wake you up. It also helps regulate your blood pressure and heart rhythm, contributing to a more stable and deep sleep.

Incorporating the right foods into your evening routine is an easy way to prepare your body for rest. Here are some of the best foods for better sleep, packed with the nutrients your body needs to rest and recharge.

Embrace whole-grain bread, cereals, pasta, and brown rice. According to the Cleveland Clinic, these complex carbs promote sleep, unlike simple carbohydrates (like sugary pastries and white bread) which can reduce serotonin levels. A small bowl of oatmeal in the evening can be a comforting and effective way to wind down.

Foods like turkey, chicken, and fish are excellent sources of tryptophan (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). A small portion a few hours before bed gives your body the building blocks it needs to produce serotonin and melatonin. The Cleveland Clinic also highlights that low-fat cheese, egg whites, soybeans, and pumpkin seeds are great choices. Pairing these proteins with a complex carbohydrate can make the tryptophan more available to your brain.

Unsaturated fats not only boost heart health but can also improve your serotonin levels. Good examples include peanut butter and nuts like walnuts, almonds, and cashews. A simple snack of an apple with mozzarella string cheese or peanut butter on whole-grain crackers can be a great way to get these healthy fats before bed.

Salmon, tuna, and mackerel are rich in both vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. This combination has been shown to improve sleep quality by helping to regulate serotonin. Including fatty fish in your dinner a couple of times a week can have a positive long-term impact on your rest.

Certain fruits are natural sources of sleep-promoting compounds.

• Tart cherries are one of the best food sources of melatonin. A glass of tart cherry juice or a handful of dried cherries can help increase your melatonin levels.
• Bananas are well-known for their potassium content, which helps relax muscles. They also provide magnesium and tryptophan.
• Kiwis are packed with serotonin and antioxidants. Studies have shown that eating kiwi before bed can improve rest duration and efficiency.

As mentioned, magnesium is key for quality rest. To get more of it in your diet, try adding leafy greens like spinach to your dinner. Other magnesium-rich foods highlighted by the Cleveland Clinic include nuts, seeds, avocados, and black beans.

What you drink can be just as important as what you eat. Instead of reaching for a sugary soda, try one of these soothing beverages to help you relax.

For centuries, chamomile tea has been used as a natural remedy for sleeplessness. It contains an antioxidant called apigenin, which binds to specific receptors in your brain that may decrease anxiety and initiate sleep. A warm cup of chamomile tea is a perfect addition to your bedtime ritual.

The classic remedy of a glass of warm milk before bed has scientific backing. Milk contains tryptophan, and the comforting warmth can have a psychologically soothing effect. For an extra boost, you can add a pinch of nutmeg, which has natural relaxing properties.

As Northwestern Medicine notes, tart cherries are a fantastic source of melatonin (Northwestern Medicine, 2023). A small glass of 100% tart cherry juice about an hour before bed can help improve both sleep quality and duration. Be sure to choose a brand without added sugar.

Just as some foods can help you sleep, others can interfere with it. To ensure a restful night, it’s best to avoid these items in the hours leading up to bedtime.

This one is obvious but important. Caffeine is a stimulant that can stay in your system for hours, making it difficult to fall asleep. Remember that caffeine isn't just in coffee—it's also found in tea, soda, chocolate, and some medications. It is suggested to have your last cup by 2 p.m. if you have trouble sleeping.

While a glass of wine might make you feel drowsy at first, alcohol ultimately disrupts your sleep cycle. It can prevent you from entering the deeper, more restorative stages of sleep and often causes you to wake up in the middle of the night as its effects wear off.

Heavy, high-fat foods like deep-fried fish or chicken wings take longer to digest and can cause indigestion, making it uncomfortable to lie down. Similarly, spicy foods like those with red or black pepper can raise your body temperature and lead to acid reflux, interfering with your ability to fall and stay asleep.

A spike in blood sugar followed by a crash can disrupt your hormones and wake you up during the night. Avoid sugary desserts, candies, and sodas before bed to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Making small adjustments to your diet can make a big difference. By choosing foods and drinks that contain sleep-promoting nutrients, you can naturally prepare your body for a night of deep, restorative rest.

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