When you think about ways to get better sleep, what comes to mind first? Taking melatonin supplements, limiting blue light from screens/devices, and establishing a consistent sleep routine are often some of the ways we try to intervene on our sleep patterns. We don’t often think of our diet as a place to promote better sleep, but there is interesting evidence that certain foods can help us tend to our sleep, without needing to take additional supplements or drastically change our habits.
Imagine in your mind a traditional Thanksgiving meal. If yours included turkey, you also probably experienced sleepiness soon after the meal. While some of this tiredness is likely due to eating large meals at Thanksgiving, the consumption of turkey also had an impact on feeling sleepy. This is because turkey is a food containing high amounts of tryptophan, an amino acid that is prevalent in protein-rich foods. It is a precursor to the release of melatonin and serotonin, which both influence sleep.
Research has shown that people with low levels of tryptophan often experience anxiety, worry thoughts, and tension, which can all lead to low moods and trouble falling asleep. By increasing tryptophan consumption via foods, we can encourage our pineal gland to naturally produce melatonin, which can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. If you’re finding it difficult to get good sleep right now, or if anxiety is impacting your ability to fall and stay asleep, consider adding tryptophan-rich foods into your diet.
Foods High In Tryptophan:
Eggs (especially the yolks)
Cheese
Pineapple
Tofu
Salmon
Spinach
Nuts and Seeds
Turkey
Chicken
In order to get the most benefit from eating tryptophan-rich foods, it is encouraged to pair these with healthy carbs. Carbs promote the release of insulin, which leads to amino acid absorption, allowing tryptophan (an amino acid) to remain in the bloodstream. Try to include brown rice, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods with your meals to reap the benefits of eating foods high in tryptophan. By mindfully adding some of these foods into your diet, we hope you will start to notice positive changes in your sleep quality.
References
How Tryptophan Boosts Your Sleep Quality and Mood. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/tryptophan#section7
7 Foods That Could Boost Your Serotonin: The Serotonin Diet. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/foods-that-could-boost-your-serotonin#food-and-mood