7 Melatonin-Rich Foods that help you sleep Fast
We all know that diet has a required influence on our health, and eating unhealthily can cause disorders and diseases such as obesity, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
Our diet must be varied to all the necessary nutrients to cover all the functions of the body, including sleep.
We present a series of Foods that help you sleep Fast and you can include in your diet to sleep better this article.
What components of Foods that help you sleep Fast?
You’ve probably heard of tryptophan, serotonin, and melatonin Foods that help you sleep Fast, but you may not be clear about their role in sleep. Below, we explain what these substances are and why they are necessary to sleep well.
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid; that is, our body cannot manufacture it and, therefore, we can only obtain it from food.
Among other functions, tryptophan allows our body to obtain serotonin, commonly known as the “happiness hormone.”
Serotonin, in addition to modulating mood, regulates functions such as appetite, digestion, behavior, or sleep.
In addition, part of this serotonin is transformed into melatonin, which is a hormone that also promotes sleep.
Given this, it is not surprising that many of the foods that help you sleep well are high in tryptophan, serotonin, and melatonin.
However, as we will see below, other food components can improve the quality of our sleep, such as carbohydrates, vitamin D, magnesium, or omega-3 fatty acids.
Foods that facilitate sleep
The following foods can help you get higher-Foods that help you sleep Fast:
Nuts. Almonds and walnuts are foods rich in melatonin, so they can promote a good night’s rest.
Milk. Dairy products can help you sleep because of their high tryptophan content. Also, having a glass of warm milk before going to bed is a relaxing habit that makes it easier to rest.
Birds. Turkey meat and chicken meat are also excellent sources of tryptophan.
Fruits. Bananas can help you sleep because they are rich in tryptophan, melatonin, and magnesium.
Another recommended fruit is kiwi, due to its serotonin content. There is a study in which it was observed that eating two kiwis a day one hour before going to sleep for a month improved reconciliation and the duration of sleep.
Cereals. Cereals can make you sleep easier. On the one hand, they are an excellent source of carbohydrates, which help increase the amount of tryptophan available to be converted into serotonin (tryptophan obtained from other foods).
On the other hand, some cereals such as oats, rice, and corn are natural sources of melatonin.
You consume whole grains since they contain more fiber and vitamins than refined forms.
Blue Fish. Tuna and salmon are high in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. The combination of both nutrients may help you sleep better, as they appear to play an important role in regulating serotonin concentration.
Citrus fruits- linden, valerian, lemon balm, or passion flower an hour before going to sleep is a good option to create a relaxing routine, but try to drink less liquid at dinner so you don’t have to get up at night and break your sleep cycle.
We have talked about foods that can help you have better rest. However, it is also important that you avoid those that can make it difficult to sleep.
Some Foods rich in melatonin that help you sleep Fast
Banana
It is one of the foods richest in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that the body does not produce on its own and we must obtain from food, essential for the synthesis of melatonin.
In addition to tryptophan, bananas are rich in minerals such as potassium and magnesium, essential for multiple functions in the body.
Even though its caloric content is somewhat higher than that of other fruits, the banana is highly satiating, so it is convenient to include its consumption regularly in a balanced diet.
Almonds
They are also rich in tryptophan, as well as good sources of calcium, highly recommended, therefore, for those who consume little dairy.
Likewise, it is the dried fruit that contains the most fiber, so its consumption is also highly recommended to improve intestinal transit, a factor that can also improve the quality of sleep for all those people who tend to have constipation.
The coach specializing in healthy habits, Natàlia Calvet, points out that being rich in protein and healthy fats, almonds are “an energy shot at any time of the day”.
Calvet also recalls that almonds “are rich in vitamin B-12, which is involved in regulating the sleep-wake rhythm and can be useful for people with altered sleep patterns, during jet lag or in some cases of insomnia in the elderly.
Walnuts
Walnuts also stand out for their high tryptophan content. As with almonds, many people restrict their consumption due to their high caloric intake, when in reality they are very satiating, displacing the consumption of other less healthy foods and allowing us to reach the next meal less hungry.
In addition, according to a study carried out with rats by researchers from the University of Granada (UGR), the Hospital La Paz-Carlos III in Madrid.
The Health Science Center of the University of Texas, in the United States, the chronic administration of melatonin could help burn more calories and stop gaining weight, and nuts guarantee the contribution of this hormone.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal, along with rice, is the cereal that contains the most tryptophan, so its consumption is more than recommended in a balanced diet.
Oats are also rich in fiber and contain slow-absorbing carbohydrates, as well as minerals and B vitamins.
Egg
It is also a good source of tryptophan, which will help the body to manufacture the necessary amounts of melatonin and serotonin.
Calvet also recalls that the egg has proteins of high biological value, which means that they contain all the essential amino acids and, therefore, are an essential food in the diet.
The official recommendations for daily protein intake are between 0.8 and 1 g of protein per kilo of body, although it is being seen that these figures may be a bit fair:
You would have to consume 1.5 g of protein per kilo in order not to lose muscle, “says the specialist.
In this sense, the egg, a food that is also cheap and easy to cook, can be essential when it comes to guaranteeing this contribution.
Therefore, it is convenient that, as far as possible, you do not consume alcohol or caffeinated products (coffee, tea, cola).
Also, avoid large dinners or, at least, try to spend about 2-3 hours from when you have finished eating until it is time to go to sleep.
And do not forget that certain foods are not recommended to take before going to bed, such as spices or spicy food, certain legumes, and stimulants such as coffee and tea.
And for the rest, we recommend you take the sleep test that we have available on our website to find out if you rest enough.
Just for completing it, you will receive a PRACTICAL GUIDE in which we will reveal the best places, tips, and techniques to relax in your day.
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