Many people have trouble sleeping and aren’t very fond of taking medicines. So they are always looking for more natural ways to cure insomnia. It is now known that a few changes to your eating habits can go a long way to help you fall asleep faster - in addition to giving you an amazing night of sleep. Take a look at this list of foods that are both healthy and natural sleep aids.
”One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” - Virginia Woolf
Avocado, Cauliflower, and Almonds
Magnesium deficiency is one of the main reasons people find when they have trouble sleeping. If you’re having muscle cramps and headaches as well as insomnia, this is probably your case too. Avocado, almonds, and cauliflower are all great rich in magnesium options. You don’t necessarily need to eat them at night, simply adding them to your daily eating routine will do the trick.
There’s also the option of mixing these ingredients and making one delicious dish, such as the Thai Carrot Cauliflower Rice Salad With Avocado Cream Dressing recipe among these Amazing Cauliflower Recipes that will help keep you healthy. You won’t find any almonds there, but there are a lot of different options you can try - aside from eating them raw as a snack, of course. Click here to check them out!
Did you know that almonds can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels? Check these Proven Benefits of Almonds!
Cereal, Banana, and Yogurt
These three options are usually consumed for breakfast, but all of them will help you fall asleep quickly if eaten at night. Yogurt is rich in calcium, cereals are one of the best sources to get vitamins, and bananas are a great choice to increase potassium levels.
Calcium deficiency is also a common cause of insomnia, and one of the most popular means of getting calcium is drinking milk. However, if you’re not a fan of milk, you can try consuming yogurt instead. It can be right after dinner, or if you’d rather eat it before going to bed, the tip is to add a teaspoon of honey to have a greater calming effect.
Now, if you are a fan of milk, you can drink it before sleeping paired with bananas and cereal. Fortified cereals are sources of vitamin B-6, ideal to have a good night sleep seeing that it boosts melatonin production. In order to keep healthy, choose low-sugar and whole grain types.
Aside from being a source of vitamin B-6 as well, bananas are the healthy to-go option to boost potassium levels. In addition, this fruit contains magnesium and tryptophan - both of which also help sleep better.
Related: How To Properly Store Fruits and Veggies for Maximum Nutrients
Salmon, Broccoli, and Egg
Omega-3 is proven to reduce stress and is present in most fish, but for this list we decided to go with salmon because along with being a great source of omega-3, it’s also high in vitamin B-6. As for broccoli, it helps increase calcium levels and decrease your sleep disturbance.
Vitamin A deficiency is another cause of sleep problems, and if you’re suffering from it, then eggs are the perfect solution. The yolk is the important part since it contains all the vitamin A found in the egg.
Related: Healthy Recipes for Sleep-Enhancing Foods
Cherries
Being a natural source of melatonin, cherries help promote a relaxing feeling. There are a few different options you can try:
Learn more about the benefits of cherry juice here.
Kale
Since kale is super healthy - containing calcium and potassium - it also acts as a natural relaxant. If you’re not so fond of eating crunchy greens, you can try making a juice or smoothie. Take a look at these benefits it can provide.
Related: Top 10 Deliciously Healthy Drinks and Smoothies
Chickpeas and Walnuts
Both chickpeas and walnuts are rich in tryptophan, a component that helps producing melatonin and serotonin. Chickpeas can be used in a hummus recipe, which will be great for a quick snack at night. And walnuts are excellent for eating raw or to use in delicious recipes.
Herbal Tea and Honey
This one is a pretty obvious pick: chamomile tea is one of the most famous drinks to have right before sleeping. However, herbs in general are good to help sleeping. Among the options are: peppermint, lavender, passionfruit and hibiscus. You can find out more about it in this article by No Sleepless Nights.
Meanwhile, honey is the healthiest natural sweetener of all! It raises insulin levels and helps tryptophan act better in your system. If you take a look at this Golden Mylk recipe (which is also great to help sleep), you will notice that honey helps fight against infections, sore throat, and allergies. Having a spoonful before going to bed or mixing it in your tea or Golden Mylk are all valid options to go with.
Which of these have you already tried? Which will you try? Make sure to share your thoughts with us by leaving a comment below and follow our Facebook page for more great tips!
