A good night’s sleep can be all too rare–two-thirds of us admit to experiencing disrupted slumber every night. If you count yourself among this rather hefty section of society, then you’ve probably tried it all: sleep sprays, meditation, pre-bed wind-down rituals, the works. But have you ever considered the possibility that your diet could hold the key to improved sleep?. “There is a neurotransmitter, a chemical messenger, in our bodies called tryptophan, which modulates sleep,” says nutrition consultant Sana Khan. “Certain foods contain it naturally, and a few mouthfuls of one of them an hour or so before you go to bed can really help both with falling asleep and the quality of your sleep thereafter.” Anxiety is often a huge problem for insomniacs, and whether it’s cause or effect, incorporating more magnesium into your diet can help relax the muscles and, by extension, your mind. “It’s a key mineral that, increasingly, I find clients are deficient in when I do tests,” says Khan. “Lots of people just aren’t getting enough of it in their diets.”. Is tryptophan the same as melatonin?. Tryptophan is an amino acid from which the sleep hormone melatonin is then synthesised. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles and is naturally produced by the body. The conversion process goes like this: tryptophan > serotonin > melatonin. Therefore, eating foods that are rich in tryptophan will help to encourage the production of melatonin. Things like turkey, eggs, dairy, nuts and seeds all provide the building blocks for better sleep, Esra Soylucicek, a nutritional therapist at Reborne Longevity, explains.. Are there any foods that contain actual melatonin?. Yes: tart cherries, walnuts and some varieties of grapes. “Tart cherries are particularly well studied; they contain measurable melatonin and antioxidant compounds that may support sleep regulation,” says Soylucicek. Another way to up your chances of falling asleep is to include a small amount of complex carbohydrates in your evening meal or snack. “Complex carbs help tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier more efficiently, which supports melatonin production.”. What to eat for better sleep. Almonds and walnuts. Not only do nuts like almonds and walnuts contain high levels of magnesium, they’re also a brilliant source of the sleep hormone melatonin, too.. Turkey. “A few mouthfuls of a slice of turkey breast an hour or so before sleep can really help,” says Khan. It’s all thanks to its high level of tryptophan and protein, both of which help to encourage a sleepy state of mind.. Kiwi. Research has shown that eating kiwi fruit regularly helps to improve both the amount and quality of sleep we enjoy, thanks to its high levels of antioxidants.. Cottage cheese. High in tryptophan, cottage cheese is a good food to incorporate into your diet if you struggle with disrupted sleep. Try combining it with another sleep-friendly food, like melatonin-rich
