Last Updated on September 25, 2023
Have trouble sleeping? You’re not alone. More than half of Americans report regularly having poor sleep. Could your diet do more to help you get some quality ZZZs? Here are the top foods that help you sleep.
Not sleeping well is not only incredibly frustrating, but it’s also really rough on your health. In addition to affecting your brain function and upping your risk of obesity, lack of sleep wreaks havoc on your immune system. The CDC has called insufficient sleep “a public health problem.” Did you know you’re far more likely to get sick when you miss a night’s sleep? Plus it makes me you just plain grumpy and less able to cope with the stresses of daily life.
Before you turn to sleeping pills or OTC sleep medications, try some of these sleep-inducing diet fixes and natural remedies to see if they help your problem. Foods that help sleep may be just what your body needed to get better slumber.
Better Sleep 101: How’s Your Sleep Hygiene?
The first step to fixing a sleep problem is evaluating whether you have what experts call good sleep hygiene, which means you’re following a regular schedule, powering down, cutting back on caffeine, limiting light in the bedroom, as well as some other behavioral factors that can significantly influence how well you sleep. A lot has been written on this in the last few years. Here’s a great overview.
Also make sure your mattress is comfortable. If aches and pains are waking you frequently, you’re going to be tired and not functioning at your best. Replace your mattress if it’s not working for you, and do your health a favor: choose a nontoxic mattress made from latex, wool, or organic cotton that’s not treated with chemical fire retardants.
You spend a third of your life in bed, and you don’t need to bombard yourself with toxic chemicals while you’re trying to get restorative sleep. Buyer beware: Most mattresses are made with chemicals that have no place in your healthy home! Here’s the lowdown on finding a non-toxic mattress, and here are the 3 best organic mattresses on the market to consider.
If you want a healthy, comfortable, and affordable mattress, you have got to check out the MADE SAFE, GOTS & GOLS certified mattresses from Happsy and Avocado!
(If replacing your mattress isn’t an option right now, you could try a latex topper to make your existing mattress more comfortable.)
So your sleep hygiene’s good and your mattress is comfortable, but you’re still sleeping poorly? Here are some diet hacks that can help support your body’s ability to get restorative sleep.
Foods That Help You Sleep — What to Eat for Better Sleep
A number of nutrients are involved in the production of serotonin and melatonin, both of which play a role in our sleep. If you wake frequently or have trouble falling asleep, you might experiment with some dietary changes more likely to support restful slumber. Some of the key nutrients to look out for:
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- B-6
- Potassium
Getting enough of these nutrients over the course of the day may help your body do a better job producing its sleep regulators. A whole-foods diet rich in vegetables will go a long way toward addressing deficiencies.
See my post on magnesium for a list of magnesium-rich foods. Many of these foods are also good sources of potassium, including bananas, avocados, soybeans and yogurt. Vitamin B-6 can be found in fish, bananas, and chickpeas, among many other foods. Getting enough calcium through dairy or other sources (dark leafy greens, almonds, and tofu, for example) should also help support sleep quality.
This banana tea for sleep uses banana peels and nutmeg to make a tasty before-bed drink with extra sleep-supporting compounds.
Vitamin D also seems to play a role in sleep, so getting enough through sun exposure or supplements may also help you sleep better.
Related: Health Benefits of Potassium & Best Sources of Potassium
Foods That Help You Sleep: Sleep-Promoting Bedtime Snacks
What you nosh before bed could help you sleep better. Experts recommend a light snack before bedtime that combines carbohydrates and proteins as well as some of the nutrients linked to better sleep. A heavy meal can interfere with sleep, as can hunger, so a light snack makes the most sense, a couple hours before bed.
You can make your bedtime snack work for better sleep by combining some of the foods highest in sleep-promoting nutrients. If you picked banana as a smart choice, you get full marks.
Some other foods that help you sleep to consider incorporating at bedtime:
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- Tart cherries or cherry juice, which contain naturally-occurring melatonin. Studies have shown improved sleep with consumption of tart cherry juice.
- Walnuts, which contain melatonin as well as tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin and melatonin.
- Oatmeal, which in addition to magnesium and potassium, also contains melatonin. (This is a great deal on organic steel cut oats — check it out!)
- Almonds or almond milk, containing magnesium and potassium, as well as some calcium.
- Chia seeds, a good source of magnesium, calcium, and potassium. (Best deal I’ve found on chia here.)
- Pumpkin seeds, a rich source of magnesium and a good source of potassium.
- Kiwis, which in a small study seemed to significantly improved sleep quality and quantity.
- Chamomile or lemon balm tea to help you relax before bed. When I don’t have time to steep fresh-picked or dried lemon balm (my sleep herb of choice) ahead of time, I really like Tulsi Sleep tea. It tastes good and seems to help my sleep quality. Tulsi, or holy basil, is one of those adaptogenic herbs thought to help calm nerves, just what you want after a hectic day! I’ve also recently found this tea with lemon balm, chamomile, and lavender, which is great when I travel and don’t have my lemon balm along.
So if you’ve got the munchies after dinner, maybe consider some of these sleep-promoting snacks. Or combine them for even more sleep-supporting compounds!
Some options for foods that help you sleep:
- Yogurt smoothie with banana, chia, or almond butter
- Oatmeal with walnuts and banana or dried cherries
- Chia pudding with almonds and cherries, kiwi, or banana. (Not into the whole chia pudding fad? Try adding a little chia to your oatmeal instead.)
If your snack needs a sweetener, you might throw in a tablespoon of molasses for added magnesium and potassium.
Aromatherapy can also help you relax if you’re having trouble sleeping. (Check out this post on how to use essential oils for beginners ) Try a few drops of lavender oil on your pillow, or keep a small bowl or vase of dried lavender on your bedside table. You could also try a little of this calming balm on your temples.
If you want to dive in more deeply to using essential oils for sleep, check out this post from the Hippy Homemaker, my go-to resource on oils and herbs. You could also try her herbal tea blend.
If you try some of these remedies, leave a comment to let me know if you’re sleeping better! What foods that help you sleep do you like best?
Pin these foods that help you sleep to save for later!
Photo credits: Rachel Hathaway, Dmitry Kugarov, torbakhopper, thebittenword.com, Mumumío via Flickr
Susannah is a proud garden geek and energy nerd who loves healthy food and natural remedies. Her work has appeared in Mother Earth Living, Ensia, Northern Gardener, Sierra, and on numerous websites. Her first book, Everything Elderberry, released in September 2020 and has been a #1 new release in holistic medicine, naturopathy, herb gardening, and other categories. Find out more and grab your copy here.
Deborah Davis says
Getting a good, solid night of sleep is still one of my challenges. This information is so valuable and helpful! Thank you for sharing What to Eat for Better Sleep at the Healthy Happy Green & Natural Party. I’m Pinning and sharing this!
healthygreensavvy says
I think our tech-focused lives are part of the problem, keeping us more “plugged in,” which probably doesn’t help our bodies produce chemicals conducive to sleep. I’ve been having some success with magnesium-rich snacks and lemon balm tea. Have recently added in adaptogens like holy basil and ashwagandha and might be noticing that I’m less tired in general. Also switched back to my espresso maker from drip coffee, so I’m probably taking in less caffeine, which can’t hurt. Sleep is so critical, I think it’s worth putting in some serious effort to figure out how to do it better. Hope some of these ideas help you! Good luck and thanks for stopping by!
Zenaida Isabelle says
A lot of people suffer from sleep disorders and insomnia is one of the most common from these problems. This is going to affect your quality of life in general, because your functioning will be affected by the amount of sleep that you have. For people with insomnia, it is common to end up tossing and turning in bed, spending endless hours figuring out how to finally be able to sleep. According to statistics, one out of three people suffer from insomnia in variety severities. Globally, it is a problem that is affecting millions of individuals. Thank you very much!!
Hylari says
Watching what I eat (limiting sugar especially) along with taking a probiotic has significantly helped me in many ways! I also love lavender oil and deep breathing for stress relief.
Sarah UmmYusuf says
Great post, Susannah, and love the practical ideas and snack suggestions! It’s funny, because I always instinctually grab a banana as my pre-bedtime snack. But more because I don’t have to wash a dish afterwards, and not so much for it’s sleep-promoting qualities, lol. But when I remember to regularly take magnesium, it definitely makes a big difference with me! Thanks for all the other ideas!
healthygreensavvy says
I wish I liked bananas more 🙂 B-6 is something I’m just starting to look into.
So many people say that magnesium is the key for them. Glad it works for you!
Raia says
I’ve always felt like yogurt helped me sleep better. Now I know it’s true! Maybe I’ll add a banana in tonight. 😉 Thanks so much for sharing this at Savoring Saturdays, Susannah!
Brittany @ The Pistachio Project says
I love hearing about foods that help you sleep! (mainly foods that help my KIDS sleep!) We already do lots of bananas but I should add chia seeds back into our diet. And I love doing chamomile tea too! Thanks for sharing at Simply Natural Saturdays.
Elle @ Only Taste Matters says
That you so much for the great advice! I am featuring it tonight on Savoring Saturdays. Can’t wait to see what you post this week!
healthygreensavvy says
Thanks so much for the feature! Look forward to many more great link parties at Savoring Saturdays 🙂
Marla says
Hi Susannah,
Excellent information. Sleep is so important to keep our bodies and minds healthy. I appreciate you providing and sharing on Real Food Fridays. Pinned & tweeted. Have a healthy, happy & blessed Memorial Day weekend!
Kelly says
I know that if I don’t get enough magnesium, my knee and elbow joints will ache at night. Odd, but minerals definitely make a huge difference in my ability to relax and sleep.
Thank you for sharing on the Homestead Blog Hop. I hope we see you again today.
healthygreensavvy says
Interesting, never heard something like that. Thanks for your comment, and for hosting a great linkup 🙂
Barbara says
It’s funny, little kids always have a bedtime routine and then when we get older we are told to just “go to bed”. We really need to come up with a routine for ourselves that will ready us for sleep.
It’s interesting to consider the foods that are involved in the production of serotonin and melatonin, too. Thanks, Susannah.
Marla says
Hi Susannah,
Just a note to let you know that I have chosen your post as one of my features for this weeks Real Food Fridays blog hop that goes live every Thursday @ 7pm EST. Thank you for being part of Real Food Fridays and sharing your information.
healthygreensavvy says
Thanks for the feature, Marla! I love your blog hop!
michelle says
Great article – I linked this on my Herbs for Sleep post. Pinned and shared too!
Kourtney Ragland says
This is definitely what I need to read. My sleep has been quite crappy lately.
Jennifer Worrell says
Great advice! Thanks for the ideas!
JES says
Great post and a wealth of information! Thank you for sharing with us on the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! 🙂
Diane says
Warm some Almond milk in a mug add a little raw honey and 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp vanilla ,,,good nite
Susannah says
Mmmm…sounds lovely! Sweet dreams!
Sheeja Paulos says
Awesome remedies dear! Now a days due to heavy work pressure I couldn’t sleep at night peacefully. And it has now become a serious problem for me. But here I got some useful remedies that I can do for my better sleep. Thanks a lot for sharing.