10 surprising foods that can improve your sleep

Getting a decent night’s sleep involves more than blackout curtains & fancy pillows. In fact, what you eat during the day could push your sleep one way or the other, sometimes in rather unexpected ways. Here are some surprising foods that research claims can improve your sleep. Which of these would you actually try?

Just remember, this is not health advice & you should speak to a qualified medical professional before changing your diet.

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Pistachios

Most people don’t think of pistachios as anything other than a good salty snack. However, the truth is that they have a lot of natural melatonin, far more than other nuts. Lab work has measured them in the hundreds of thousands of nanograms per gram, depending on the variety. Essentially, you’re getting a built-in sleep supplement in a shell.

High-GI jasmine rice, timed right

Jasmine rice has a high glycemic index, which means it can raise your blood sugar levels rather quickly. And eating it around four hours before bed can help you drift off faster. But timing is important. Eating only an hour before bed has no special effect, meaning that when you eat is just as important as what you eat.

Fatty fish at lunch during winter

Eating salmon at lunch several times a week during the darker months actually improves your sleep. It makes you fall asleep more quickly and could even lead to better sleep efficiency. Why? It’s because fatty fish increases your vitamin D and omega-3 levels.

Kiwifruit

Sure, kiwifruit doesn’t sound like it could help you sleep. But eating a couple before bed can actually make a difference by boosting your relaxing serotonin levels, as long as you peel them & eat about an hour before turning in. Doing so over a long time can help your sleep improve. Best of all, it’s easy to fit in a bit of kiwi without changing dinner plans.

Bananas

A banana before bed is simple & quick. It also doesn’t require prep. Eating one a little while after dinner naturally increases your melatonin levels, which has been proven to help your body settle down at night. Bananas also aren’t heavy, and that means they won’t mess with digestion. As such, it makes for a handy option whenever you want something sweet that won’t keep you up.

Lentil dinner

Lentils work well in soups & curries, or even in salads, and they add a lot of fiber without much fuss. Higher fiber meals have been connected to better deep sleep. This means that including lentils at dinner is a simple way to support that, since they keep you full without being greasy. They’re also easy to cook in batches for the week.

Tofu or natto

Soy-based foods like tofu & natto do a lot more than add protein to dinner, as they also contain a lot of isoflavones. These have been linked to longer & better sleep. Thankfully, you don’t have to eat a huge portion of soy because adding a tofu stir fry to your usual dinner or a scoop of natto over rice is often enough.

Walnuts

Who doesn’t love eating walnuts? They fit easily into an evening meal, and you can sprinkle them over roasted veggies or just eat them plain on the side. Eating them regularly can help you sleep better overall because they contain melatonin. They’re a low-effort addition that doesn’t require any cooking at all, so there really is no bad side to munching on them.

Probiotic yogurt

Adding some yogurt to your dinner or dessert is a great way to wind down. Many probiotic strains have been shown to improve your sleep when you eat them regularly. But you can keep it simple with a small bowl after dinner, maybe with some fruit, which won’t feel like you’re forcing a health routine.

Red grapes

Interestingly, red grapes contain melatonin, mostly in the skin, which is great for your sleep. You don’t need to overthink it. Just have a small bunch after dinner & avoid peeling them. Yes, different types have different levels, but keeping the skin on gives you the best shot at getting the good stuff.

The following sources were consulted in the preparation of this article: