With even more melatonin-boosting benefits than bananas, pineapples are a sweet choice for easing insomnia or jet lag.Ī study that measured the amount of aMT6-s in the body (a marker of circulating melatonin) found an increase of 266 percent in melatonin after test subjects ate pineapples (compared to a 180 percent increase with bananas and a 47 percent increase with oranges). The fruits also contain the amino acid tryptophan, which the body converts to serotonin and melatonin. (If you’re unable to sleep because of restless leg syndrome, a magnesium deficiency is often the cause.) Bananasīananas are a good source of vitamin B6, which raises serotonin levels (the relaxing neurotransmitters that affect your quality of sleep), as well as potassium and magnesium, which help relax overstressed muscles. (Dried cherries, on the other hand, have been found to contain no melatonin.) 2. When the fruits are not in season, try a glass of cherry juice instead. Studies have shown a boost in circulating melatonin after consumption of cherries, though sweet cherries have half the melatonin content as sour cherries. CherriesĬherries (especially sour cherries like the Montmorency variety) are one of the only (and highest) natural food sources of melatonin. Common questions about foods that help you sleepġ2 fruits and vegetables that help you sleep better at night 1.12 fruits and vegetables that help you sleep better at night.They’re not a cure-all for insomnia, but incorporating a few of them into your evening meals could make the time change a little less painful. Some fruits and vegetables contain small amounts of melatonin (as well as other sleep-promoting chemicals, like tryptophan and magnesium) that help you settle down and fall asleep faster. ![]() Yes-and you probably have them in your garden or kitchen already.Ĭertain foods may help you sleep because they contain compounds that naturally make you sleepier. Short of reading something reeeaaaally boring before bed (my husband actually keeps the full text of the Constitution on his nightstand, ha), is there anything you can do to drift to sleep easier in the coming week? When sunrises and sunsets suddenly shift by an hour overnight-and seemingly out of nowhere-our clocks are sent for a loop. Our internal clocks are controlled by the sun, but are designed to adjust to seasonal changes gradually. Once darkness sets in, we ramp up production of melatonin to start getting our brains ready for bed. The more light we are exposed to, the less melatonin we make. This annual disruption of sleep is tied to how our bodies produce melatonin, the hormone that regulates when we feel sleepy and when we feel awake. (Personally, I prefer to stay on DST year-round because I’m also the type of person who likes to stay in the garden way past dusk, sometimes with a headlamp on!) Research has shown that our circadian rhythms never fully adjust to Daylight Saving Time, and the transition is especially difficult for night owls. On the other hand, “losing” that hour of sleep makes me feel off kilter for weeks as I struggle to nip my late-night habits in the bud. On the one hand, I’m thrilled that the days are about to get longer and I can get a little more work done in the garden, finish my bike rides while it’s still light out, and not feel like it’s time for bed when it’s only 8 pm. I have a love/hate for Daylight Saving Time.
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