Foods For Good Sleep: Melatonin Rich Foods That Induce Sleep

What exactly is melatonin?

Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone that is also known as the “sleep hormone.” Melatonin governs your sleep-wake cycle and reacts to light and darkness—more melatonin is generated as it becomes dark to help you sleep, and less is created when the sun rises and your eyes are exposed to light to help you wake up.

Melatonin is responsible for inducing deep and restful sleep! Foods that help you sleep are Melatonin-rich. Melatonin-rich foods improve your sleep patterns and sleep faster every night! Let’s take a look at 5 melatonin-rich foods for good sleep, so you can add them to your diet and sleep better every night.

Here are 7 Melatonin Rich Foods That Help You Sleep Better:

1. Banana
2. Milk
3. Yoghurt
4. Variety of nuts
5. Blueberries
6. Herbal tea
7. Fatty Fish

Bananas

Bananas are underrated. They are not only rich in compounds such as it contains magnesium and tryptophan, a protein that boosts melatonin production! Consuming this melatonin rich fruit will help induce better sleep for you every night. So make it a part of your morning snack or pre-workout energy booster.

Milk

For good reason, a glass of warm milk is a well-known and popular sleep cure. Melatonin is abundant in milk, making it one of the finest dietary sources. It also includes the amino acid tryptophan, which boosts melatonin and serotonin concentrations and makes it easier to fall asleep.

Yoghurt

A natural probiotic, yoghurt helps produce more serotonin which is key in producing melatonin. When it comes to melatonin rich foods that are healthy for you, yoghurt is right up there. It’s a great snack option and you can eat it before bed as it can help improve digestion and your mood.

Variety of nuts – key melatonin rich foods

Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and cashews are often considered to be foods for good sleep. All these nuts contain high levels of melatonin as well as essential minerals like magnesium and zinc that are essential for better sleep.

Blueberries

Do Blueberries have melatonin?

Yes, berries, in general, have about 387 nanograms of melatonin per gram. The popular ones include blueberry, tart cherry, goji berry etc.

A potent melatonin rich food, the antioxidant content helps you reduce stress and improve focus too. A handful of blueberries is a great snack for the night before you want to turn in for bed. 

Herbal teas

Herbal teas such as chamomile, lavender can help you destress and unwind at night. It’s a potent melatonin rich food or drink and will help you sleep faster.

There are many different foods that also harm your sleep and it is important that you minimize these, especially towards the latter half of the day. One of the most common foods that harm sleep is Caffeine which is common within Green tea so avoid green tea at night.

Fatty Fish

Fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna, are not only high in melatonin, but also in vitamin B6, omega 3 fatty acid, magnesium, and vitamin D—all of which are critical for regulating serotonin, encouraging good sleep, and promoting improved daytime performance.

According to one study, individuals who ate salmon three times a week slept better and performed better during the day than those who did not.

Melatonin supplements

Melatonin supplements can be used if you’re not sleeping well, but please do consult your doctor before taking any such medicine. Other natural supplements include milk, eggs and any fatty proteins like avocado or tuna fish.

Also, try to practice meditation and follow these good habits to overcome restless sleep and oversleeping every night. It can also help you sleep fast in 5 minutes and sleep better each night!

Evolve’s delightful sleep meditations help you switch off the day, repair stress overnight and improve your sleep quality every night! The Evolve app is now live globally on Android & Apple, click here to try for free!