Foods For Insomnia

Having trouble sleeping is one of the most frustrating things to deal with, whether you 
can’t fall asleep or you have difficulty staying asleep. Lack of sleep is not only frustrating 
because it causes a lot of fatigue and restlessness during the day, but it can affect your 
physical and mental health.

While there are pills and medications that help to sleep, you might want to look at the 
natural remedies first. One great option is to look at your diet, focusing on foods that are 
known to relax you and help you sleep better. 

Dark Chocolate 

This amazing brown candy is good for more than just a treat, it is also high in 
antioxidants. It can also play a hefty role in helping you sleep. Studies have shown that 
people who consume 40 grams of dark chocolate a day for 2 weeks saw a decrease in 
cortisol, a hormone produced when a person experiences stress. This could be possible 
due to its magnesium content which aids in regulating stress, muscle spasms, and 
anxiety.

TIP: You can try eating it as a dessert with your favorite berries for a healthy snack 
option, eat it alone, or make some dark hot chocolate on cold nights.

Chamomile Tea 

This tea has long been associated with its calming and mild sedative effects. It is 
speculated that it may be because of the flavonoid apigenin, which has the ability bind 
to benzodiazepine receptors located in the brain. There are a variety of caffeine free 
teas available on the market.  

TIP: You can use honey, lemon or mint to give your tea a different flavor.

Cheese

It has often been said that milk can help you sleep, but science has revealed that all 
dairy contains tryptophan. Cheese is also an excellent source of calcium which helps to 
regulate muscle movement.  

TIP: You can try eating cheese on a few of your favorite low-calorie crackers for a light 
snack about an hour before bedtime. 

Walnuts

Walnuts contain an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan is responsible for the 
production for serotonin and melatonin, which are key components of controlling sleep 
cycles. Interestingly, it has recently been discovered that walnuts contain an amount or 
melatonin on their own. The great thing about walnuts is that they fit in with most diets, 
from low calorie to low carb, Keto, and even Paleo.

TIP: Add a handful of walnuts to a half cup of Greek yogurt for a great snack or enjoy 
them with some of your cheese to help you sleep even better.

Lettuce

Lettuce is great with almost every food and it turns out that it can fill a number of dietary 
needs for trace minerals, but the real secret of lettuce is lactucin. Lactucin is sometimes 
referred to as “Lettuce Opium,” and has mild sedative effects. 

TIP: Top some chips with thinly sliced lettuce and grated cheese for some easy bedtime 
nachos!
 
Almonds

Almonds are a great low calorie snack that are high in fiber. They are also extremely 
high in magnesium, which is needed for a variety of body functions. They are also 
associated with headache relief, which can be a great aid to relaxation and sleep. 

TIP: You can get whole or sliced almonds to add to some yogurt. You can even add 
walnuts to add more texture.

Turkey 

This is probably the most famous example of food containing tryptophan. Turkey is 
famous for its sleep inducing effect, commonly and somewhat endearingly referred to as 
a food coma. It can be fried, baked, broiled and barbequed. It is also a cost-effective 
solution for meat eating families. 

TIP: You can use leftover turkey in a variety of ways. Keep some sliced in sealed bags 
for easy use in sandwiches and other delicious dishes.  

Banana

It’s a little known fact that bananas also contain tryptophan. This elongated, fleshy fruit 
can be prepared in a variety of ways and contains enough tryptophan to help give you a 
noticeable and natural feeling of calmness. 

TIP: Use a blender to whip a banana, milk and two teaspoons of honey for a delicious 
shake. Add a tablespoon of organic peanut butter for more protein. 

Kale 

This coarse green vegetable is a favorite among many health enthusiasts. It is another 
green vegetable that is a great source of magnesium and its positive effects. Kale is 
also high in fiber which aids in proper elimination and digestion, thus helping you to 
relax and be more comfortable for a good night’s rest.  

TIP: Try adding kale to your smoothie of choice. Fruit such as apple are very good at 
masking the bitter flavor of kale. 

Oats

This staple food is a major component of recipes all over the world, yet few see it as an 
evening food on its own. Eating a bowl of oats in the evening will give you a generous 
helping of melatonin, which helps the body to relax in preparation for sleep. Oats are 
also great for heart health, a key component in fighting physical anxiety symptoms. 

TIP: Try adding banana to your oatmeal. That will add some flavor along with the combo 
punch or sleep inducing tryptophan.

Tuna

This easily palatable fish contains an essential vitamin called B6 that is needed for the 
formation of melatonin. Omega 3 fatty acids are known to help fight depression, 
regulate anxiety, and weight. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for human health and 
cannot be made by the body. They also help the heart to keep a controlled rhythm, and 
facilitates the conversion of tryptophan to niacin which prevents various anemias and 
other deficiency diseases. 

TIP: A tuna salad for dinner will give you both the benefits of the omega 3, B6 and 
Lactucin.

Cherries

These sweet little fruits are a flavorful and delicious way to get your dose of melatonin.  
Many people simply eat them, both as snacks or in a fruit salad. Others are more prone 
to drink it in a juice form, as studies have shown that drinking 2 cups of very tart cherry 
juice a day can extend sleep time by as much as 90 minutes per night. 

TIP: No need to juice it yourself, there are several organic cherry juice brands are 
available for purchase!

Rice 

Foods like rice with a high glycemic index are excellent when you’re looking for a quick 
road to deeper sleep. According to some studies, jasmine rice is the best rice for getting 
to sleep quickly. 

TIP: Try eating rice about 4 hours prior to bedtime. This allows for the insulin spike to 
peak and fall in time for you to hit the pillow! 

Honey

For all recorded history, honey has been celebrated as the world’s most amazing and 
useful sweetener for its uses in medicine and the world’s oldest treats, but this delightful 
golden substance earned its place on this list because it contains orexin. Orexin 
regulates alertness and arousal. The natural relationship with orexin changes in amount 
helps us to become tired and limit brain functions allowing humans to sleep. 

TIP: Add some honey to your oatmeal, and you have a naturally sweetened sleep aid!

Hummus 

The main ingredient in this delectable 13th century snack is the garbanzo bean. These 
versatile beans are high in B6, which is a key to melatonin production. They also 
regulate appetite which aids in calming the body and preparing it for sleep. 

TIP: Lettuce wraps made with hummus and a sprinkle of cheese can help get you in the 
mood for bedtime, or you can go traditional and just cozy up to hummus with your 
favorite crackers. 

Elk

Though not always available, this tasty meat contains nearly twice the amount of 
tryptophan as a turkey. Elk meat is extremely lean when compared to beef, but has a 
similar taste. This makes it easy to use as a low fat, low cholesterol substitution for beef. 

TIP: Because of the low-fat quality of this meat, it can dry out or over cook very easily. 
Cook it hot and fast to retain the texture, moisture and flavor of the meat. Pair it with a 
complex carbohydrate. 

Pretzels

These little salty snacks are famous for being used in snack mixes or on their own for a 
quick pick me up. Due to their high glycemic index, a small snack of pretzels will give 
you a quick burst of energy, followed by a crash. That crash will make you sleepy and 
your body will be more prepared for sleep.  

TIP: Eat a small portion about 1 hour before bed.  
 
Passionfruit Tea

This refreshing tea is full of powerful antioxidants and trace minerals. Research has also 
shown that people who consume passionfruit tea are likely to sleep more easily. It is 
currently speculated that the alkaloids in the tea act as Monoamine oxidase inhibitors. 
These alkaloids play a large part in managing depression, which can aid in relaxation 
and lead to better sleep. 

TIP: Try adding lemon, honey or ginger to your tea to create a new adventurous flavor! 

Lobster

Crustaceans like lobster aren’t immediately associated with restful sleep, but 
crustaceans are high in tryptophan. 

TIP: Try adding garlic bread with fresh garlic to get the vitamin B6 tryptophan needs to 
become serotonin and carry you off to sleepy land.  

