Natural Sedatives in your diet

We all know the tryptophan and Thanksgiving turkey connection, but overloading on turkey is not the only natural way to help promote sleep. Tryptophan is an amino acid that the body uses in the processes of making vitamin B₃ and serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep. It can’t be produced by our bodies, so we need to get it through our diet. From which foods, exactly? Turkey, of course, but also other meats, chocolate, bananas, mangoes, dairy products, eggs, chickpeas, peanuts, and a slew of other foods. Before you call the doctor and ask for an Ambien or Restoril for insomnia, consider adding these foods that promote natural sleeping to your diet. Natural sedatives offer a more restful sleep and don’t effect our circadian rhythm. (sleep/awake cycle) as sleeping pills. In addition to tryptophan, magnesium, calcium and Vitamin B help aid in production of turning serotonin into melatonin.

Melatonin is a hormone found naturally in the body. As the sun sets, your body produces more melatonin and when you rise in the morning, melatonin levels taper off to allow you to wake up. Some people take melatonin to adjust the body’s internal clock. It is used for jet lag, for adjusting sleep-wake cycles in people whose daily work schedule changes, and for helping blind people establish a day and night cycle. Magnesium is often referred to as the sleep mineral. A lack of magnesium can be directly linked to difficulty going and staying asleep. Magnesium is a natural relaxant that helps deactivate adrenaline. Calcium is another mineral that helps the brain make melatonin. A lack of calcium can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night and have difficulty returning to sleep. Calcium rich diets have been shown to help patients with insomnia. Dairy products that contain both tryptophan and calcium are among the best sleep inducers. Vitamin B6 also helps convert tryptophan into melatonin. A deficiency in B6 has been linked with lowered serotonin levels and poor sleep. A deficiency in B6 is also linked to symptoms of depression and mood disorders which can lead to insomnia.

Melatonin

Fruits and vegetables (tart cherries, corn, asparagus, tomatoes, pomegranate, olives, grapes, broccoli, cucumber)
Grains (rice, barley, rolled oats)
Nuts and Seeds (walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, mustard seeds, flaxseed)

Tryptophan

Dairy products (milk, low-fat yogurt, cheese)
Poultry (turkey, chicken)
Seafood (shrimp, salmon, halibut, tuna, sardines, cod)
Nuts and seeds (flax, sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, cashews, peanuts, almonds, walnuts)
Legumes (kidney beans, lima beans, black beans split peas, chickpeas)
Fruits (apples, bananas, peaches, avocado)
Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, turnip greens, asparagus, onions, seaweed)
Grains (wheat, rice, barley, corn, oats)

Magnesium

Dark leafy greens (baby spinach, kale, collard greens)
Nuts and seeds (almonds, sunflower seeds, brazil nuts, cashews, pine nuts, flaxseed, pecans)
Wheat germ
Fish (salmon, halibut, tuna, mackerel)
Soybeans
Banana
Avocados
Low-fat yogurt

Calcium

Dark leafy greens
Low-fat milk
Cheeses
Yogurt
Sardines
Fortified cereals
Soybeans
Fortified orange juice
Enriched breads and grains
Green snap peas
Okra
Broccoli

Vitamin B6

Sunflower seeds
Pistachio nuts
Flaxseed
Fish (tuna, salmon, halibut)
Meat (chicken, tuna, lean pork, lean beef,)
Dried Prunes
Bananas
Avocado
Spinach

Drinks that are great for sleep

Warm milk
Almond milk
Valerian tea
Chamomile tea
Tart cherry juice
Passion fruit tea
Peppermint tea

Alcohol. Contrary to popular belief alcohol does not help promote sleep. While it can make you drowsy and more likely to fall asleep faster, it often disrupts sleep and can deter you from entering the deeper, much needed phases of the sleep cycles.

Some foods are naturally packed with these essential vitamins and minerals, and eating certain foods at certain times can help you tip the scales towards a successful night of quality sleep. Most of these are available as over-the-counter supplements, but like with most supplements, it’s better to get them from the foods you eat.