In today’s high tech world, where everyone is constantly plugged into their cell phones, social media outlets and tablets, falling asleep at night can be hard. Who could put down their iPhone when there’s an entire day of Instagrams and status updates to catch up on? Much as we love our gadgets, though, falling asleep (and staying asleep) at night is incredibly important. Lack of sleep can lead to stress, weight gain, depression and more, so actively working to find ways to fall asleep at night makes a huge difference.
We’re all for falling asleep the natural way, so we found eight foods that will help you sleep better. Beyond the list below, look out for foods that include magnesium, protein, carbohydrates, dairy and tryptophan. Sleep well!
MORE: 7 Foods That Clear Your Complexion
Fish: Containing vitamin B6, fish helps to produce melatonin, which helps you sleep. Go for cod or salmon in particular, but most fish will help you sleep at night.
Almonds: Because of the high magnesium, almonds promote sleep and muscle relaxation. Plus, the protein in almonds stabilizes blood sugar while sleeping, so you’re likely to not only fall asleep more easily, but also to sleep more soundly.
Jasmine Rice: WIth a high glycemic index, Jasmine rice helps to trigger insulin, so the ratio of tryptophan to amino acid in the blood is higher, and the tryptophan aids in sleep. Switch out the white rice at dinner for Jasmine rice instead.
Hard Boiled Egg: Packed with protein, hard boiled eggs with stabilize blood sugar to give you a full night’s sleep without interruption. At the beginning of the week, hard boil 5 eggs or so and refrigerate so that you can have a bedtime snack ready for every night of the week.
MORE: 8 Foods That Are Ruining Your Skin Without You Knowing It
Bananas: With magnesium and potassium, bananas help to relax muscles and trigger melatonin production to help you fall asleep quickly. Bonus point for bananas: Because they relax muscles, they’ll also help with cramps during that time of the month.
Cherries: Though it’s better to drink cherry juice, eating a cup of cherries before bed also helps to put you to sleep because of the naturally high melatonin index in the fruit.
Spinach: High in magnesium, potassium and calcium, which promotes healthy sleep, spinach is a fabulous leafy green to work into your diet for better sleep patterns. If you don’t particularly care for spinach, go for another leafy green vegetable like kale.
Oatmeal: Between oatmeal being warm and mainly consisting of carbohydrates, it’s the perfect before bedtime snack to put you to sleep. Magnesium rich foods promote sleep, and consuming too little magnesium can make it harder to fall asleep.
Image via Istock