For some of us, getting enough sleep can be a challenge. Getting in those 8 hours of optimal rest is essential when it comes to maintaining our weight, building muscle, balancing our hormones, and lowering stress. Without enough sleep, working out regularly will become an uphill battle, getting worse and worse the longer we go without sufficient rest.

I’ve written before about the reasons why you may not be sleeping enough, and how to address it, but what I haven’t covered yet is how the food you put on your plate can help to send you off to dreamland.

Try incorporating the following foods and herbs into your diet if you are especially in need of catching up on your sleep!

Tryptophan Foods

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid known for regulating our moods and contributing to the production of serotonin, which is required to make melatonin. Melatonin helps us to fall as well as stay asleep. Foods that are high in Tryptophan include:

• Almonds 

(Try my Low Carb Almond Butter Cookies (FM) or Homemade Gluten Free Pizza, which uses almond flour for the crust)

• Organic Cheese (look for mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar)

(Try my Low Carb Beef & Pineapple Tacos (FM) to get some mozzarella, my Zucchini and Carrot Parmesan Crisps (FM), and Cheddar Cheese Crackers (FM) if you can digest dairy and are not vegan.)

• Pumpkin Seeds 

(You’ll love my Roasted Baby Root Vegetables with Pumpkin Seed Dip (FM)!)

• Turkey 

(I have a ton of recipes on my website, like my Turkey Sausage on Almond Bread (FM) and Quinoa Bowl with Ground Turkey (FM)!)

• Oats

(Make yourself a delicious Carrot Cake Oatmeal (WEM) for a delectable treat, or my Savory Spinach Oatmeal (WEM) if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth)

* Eggs

(Breakfast, lunch, dinner-even snack time-, you can fit in eggs anywhere! Here’s my Avocado Deviled Eggs (FM) and Ginger Scrambled Eggs (FM) to help you get started.)

Melatonin Foods

If you’d rather get Melatonin directly, there are a few foods you can turn to.

• Tart Cherries (and juice) is considered the #1 food when it comes to getting melatonin through diet.

(If you can get a hold of some, use them in smoothies and drinks like my Cherry Vanilla Protein Smoothie (FM) as a nice dessert in evening to help you unwind.)

• Ginger 

(Great for the stomach, and the mind! Warm up my Carrot Ginger Soup (FM) for dinner or have a refreshing Carrot Ginger Turmeric Smoothie (FM) for an anti-inflammatory boost!)

• Walnuts 

(Try my Low Carb Walnut Bread (FM) or toss them into a salad.)

• Mustard Seed

(Mustard can be incorporated into a variety of dishes, like my Grilled Radicchio Avocado Orange Salad (FM).)

Magnesium Foods

Magnesium is a calming mineral, and is a common deficiency in western diets filled with highly processed foods. For sleep, think of it like a natural sedative.

• Spinach and Mixed Greens 

(It’s possible to eat these for any meal- try my Power Greens Breakfast Casserole (FM), Greek Spinach Dip (FM), and Super Green Smoothie Bowl (FM).)

• Cacoa (Raw Chocolate) 

(Whatever you do, do not reach for the candy bars at the store! Buy some unsweetened cacoa powder instead, and incorporate it into recipes like my Chocolate Berry Super Shake (FM) and Hazelnut Chocolate Cookies (WEM).)

• Cashews

(You can blend these guys up like I do for my creamy Popeye Smoothie (FM), or use them as a snack, like Protein Power Balls (FM). I’d also like to mention that Almonds and Pumpkin seeds are also high in magnesium, too.)

• Hemp Seeds

These are starting to become more available at stores like Trader Joes. They’re great a source of plant-based protein and omega-3 fatty acids! And I’ve got you covered on the recipe front- make my Chicken Jalapeno Casserole with Hemp Seed Risotto (FM)!)

• Halibut

(I’ll have the halibut for the hell of it! See what I did there? You can try my simple Halibut with Leek Mushrooms and Broccolini (FM), or refreshing Halibut Ceviche Salad (FM).)

• Black Beans 

(If you buy these in bulk, make sure to soak them overnight for easier digestion! Try my Mexican Style Black Bean and Corn Sauté (WEM).)

You may have noticed that all of these foods can be eaten at any time. But if your goal is to improve your sleep, they should be eaten later in the evening for dinner and/or dessert.

On top of these foods, I have two bonus recommendations:

Number One is sipping on herbal tea before bed. Look for teas that incorporate calming herbs such as valerian, chamomile, and marigold. By the way, you can find all of these plus other herbs that will calm your stomach in my Fairy Blend Relax and Digest Tea.

Number Two is my personal tonic, which I consider to be a liquid tranquilizer that knocks me right out. It’s easy to make, and only needs a few ingredients that can be found at any grocery store:

Zuzka’s Tranquilizer Tonic

• 1 Tablespoon Honey
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• A glass of warm water

Combine all of the ingredients together and drink before bed. Pleasant dreams!

(You may be wondering how the heck this works. The glucose from the honey helps to lower levels of the neurotransmitter orexin in the brain, which keeps you alert. Apple Cider Vinegar releases proteins that are needed to make tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, which is needed to make melatonin. Let’s just say this drink helps your body to tuck itself in to bed!)

Let’s stop counting sheep and look to the foods we eat for better sleep!

Sources:

http://instituteofhealthsciences.com/maximising-your-melatonin/

https://www.sleepassociation.org/get-better-sleep/top-10-foods-help-sleep/

http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-sources/dietary/