Insomnia is a common sleeping disorder. People who suffer from insomnia have difficulties falling or staying asleep. About 1 in 3 people suffer from a mild version of this disorder, whereby around 10% of people are diagnosed with chronic insomnia [1].
Sleeplessness can lead to daytime tiredness, difficulty in focusing, irregular sleeping patterns, increased irritability, and even anxiety. There are many effective treatment options for people who suffer from insomnia. One effective treatment option is through nutrition. There are certain foods that can improve the quality of your sleep. Let’s take a closer look!
What Nutrition Can Do for Insomnia
It is possible to treat insomnia with nutrition. In order to understand this concept, you need to familiarize yourself with melatonin and tryptophan.
Melatonin is a hormone that regulates our sleep and wake cycle [2]. It is important to us, as it regulates our internal body clock. When it gets dark outside, our body produces more melatonin to trigger tiredness. Some people have a deficiency in melatonin production, which inhibits this trigger. However, the consumption of certain types of food can increase melatonin levels in our body.
Another important compound that can be found in some foods that helps with insomnia is tryptophan, which is an amino acid. It is responsible for creating the neurotransmitter called serotonin. Serotonin is important for our internal body clock, as it regulates the sleep/wake cycle in our body [3]. Tryptophan is part of most protein-based foods, whereby consuming a healthy amount of it can help you regulate your sleep better.
Let’s take a look at which types of food contain high amounts of melatonin and tryptophan, to help you fight insomnia.
Foods That are High in Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid. This means that our body is not able to synthesize it, so we have to consume it through food.
The US Food and Nutrition Board recommends that adults consume about 5mg of tryptophan per kilo of body weight a day [4]. Let’s take a look at a list of foods with high tryptophan values. These are foods that can help you sleep better!
Food with Tryptophan #1 – Chicken
Lean chicken breast is a great source of protein, magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, riboflavin and niacin [5].
As tryptophan is primarily found in protein-based foods, chicken contains great amounts of it. Chicken is a versatile meat that goes well with potatoes, broccoli, salads, brown rice, and asparagus. Consuming chicken will not only supplement your body with tryptophan, but it can help to build and maintain lean muscle mass, due to its high protein content.
Here is a list of poultry that contains high amounts of tryptophan (per 100g or about 3.5 ounces):
- Chicken breast (144% of RDI)
- Chicken Drumstick (120% of RDI)
Food with Tryptophan #2 – Nuts
Nuts, such as pistachios, almonds, and hazelnuts contain a great amount of tryptophan. They are also loaded with protein, vitamins, and essential minerals, like, calcium and magnesium [6].
As nuts contain both tryptophan and traces minerals, they stimulate the production of a sleep-inducing substance, melatonin. Additionally, almonds contain high amounts of magnesium, which helps to relax your muscles. The great thing about nuts is that they are easy to snack on at any time of the day.
Here is a list of nuts that contain high amounts of tryptophan (per 100g or about 3.5 ounces):
- Pistachios (104% of RDI)
- Cashew nuts (86% of RDI)
- Almonds (75%of RDI)
Food with Tryptophan #3 – Cheese
Cheese is an excellent source of protein, calcium, vitamins, and essential minerals. More importantly, they contain tryptophan.
There are a variety of dishes that contain cheese and if you are a cheese lover you should not struggle to find a dish that you love. A simple mac & cheese, slices of cheese on whole wheat bread, cheese fondue or even plain cheese will give you great amounts of tryptophan.
Here is a list of cheeses that contain high amounts of tryptophan (per 100g or about 3.5 ounces):
- Parmesan (200% of RDI)
- Cheddar (200% of RDI)
- Mozzarella (182% of RDI)
Food with Tryptophan #4 – Fish
Fish are a great source of high-quality protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. For example, 100g of canned tuna contains around 23g of protein, 3g of fat and 14mg of calcium [7]. Not only are fish such as tuna, halibut, and salmon a healthy contribution to your diet, but they are also a good source of tryptophan.
There are many different ways to include fish in your diet. You can boil, steam, fry and even smoke all sorts of fish. One of the most common snacks is tuna on crackers or tuna sandwiches, which can be easily prepared with tuna spread. It’s better to choose canned tuna in water instead of oils, as it’s healthier to avoid the extra fat.
Here is a list of fish that contain high amounts of tryptophan (per 100g or about 3.5 ounces):
- Tuna (120% of RDI)
- Halibut (120% of RDI)
- Salmon (117% of RDI)
Food with Tryptophan #5 – Eggs
Eggs are known to be a great source of high-quality protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals [8]. They are loaded with tryptophan, which helps to stimulate sleep. Higher levels of tryptophan help you to regulate your sleeping cycles more effectively. You should eat eggs regularly. will definitely help to improve your quality of sleep.
Here is a list of egg preparations that contain high amounts of tryptophan (per 100g or about 3.5 ounces):
- Scrambled Eggs (60% of RDI)
- Hard Boiled Eggs (64% of RDI)
What Foods are High in Melatonin?
To fight insomnia, your diet should include complex carbohydrates, high-quality proteins, healthy fats and sleep triggering substances. We have already explored how consuming tryptophan can help you sleep better.
The other important compound in food that can help you with insomnia is melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that regulates your bodies sleep and wake cycle [9]. It is often referred to as the sleep hormone or the hormone of darkness (as your body’s melatonin levels increase when it get’s dark outside).
There are also certain foods that contain melatonin. Consuming foods that contain this hormone can help you regulate your internal biological clock. Let’s take a look at a list of foods that contain a high amount of melatonin.
Food with Melatonin #1 – Cherries
Cherries are one of the best sources of natural melatonin. A study in 2012 confirmed this, as they measured melatonin levels before and after consuming cherry juice [10]. The increase in melatonin after ingesting cherry juice was linked to improved sleep quality in men and women.
Cherries or cherry juice can be a great evening snack before going to sleep. Besides being great for inducing sleep, cherries are also antioxidants and can reduce post-exercise muscle pains.
Food with Melatonin #2 – Walnuts
Walnuts are known for their healthy fatty acids, antioxidants, manganese, copper and vitamin b6 (biotin). There is also a great amount of melatonin in walnuts. When consuming walnuts your blood melatonin concentration increases and can help you sleep better [11].
Walnuts make a great snack in the evening before heading to sleep. They also go well with other dishes such as salads and cakes.
Food with Melatonin #3 – Bananas
Consuming bananas before going to bed can help improve the quality of your sleep, as they contain a good amount of melatonin. Bananas are a good source of potassium and magnesium, which are also natural muscle relaxants [12].
Having a banana in the evening along with a cup of warm milk could make you fall asleep faster.
Food with Melatonin #4 – Pineapples
Pineapples are famous for their bromelain content, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, this tropical fruit contains high amounts of vitamin C, boosts eyesight and is also known to help with weight loss.
Pineapples are also known to help you sleep better. This because of its melatonin content and consuming pineapple or pineapple juice is said to also increase the serum melatonin concentration in your blood [13].
Food with Melatonin #5 – Rice
There is a wide variety of different rice grains. I’m sure that you have mostly come across white and brown rice. There is also aromatic, black, glutinous, red and various other types.
Rice is mostly known to have anti-aging properties and is also said to stabilize blood sugar levels. However, rice also contains healthy amounts of melatonin, with red rice having the highest content among all rice types [14].
Rice is a good type of food that goes along with almost anything. It makes a great dinner, cooked with chicken and some healthy greens.
How Insomnia can affect you
Having a good quality sleep can be a struggle for many people. This may be caused by external stress, health conditions, bad sleeping patterns, medication, high consumption of caffeine-rich beverages, lack of nutrient-dense diet, anxiety, and more [15].
It’s important to get to the root of it, as leaving it untreated can lead to serious physical and mental health issues.
Some of these issues include:
- Depression
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Skin aging
Prolonged lack of sleep or poor quality of sleep does not only affect your brain functions, concentration, and focus, but also your overall health and work performance.
Conclusion
Everyone knows that getting enough sleep is important for health. It allows your body and mind to rest and recover so that you’re well energized for the next day.
However, a third of the population currently suffers from sleeplessness due to a variety of reasons. I’m sure that even more people have experienced insomnia at least once in their life and understand how much it can affect their mental and physical well-being.
Having a good quality and nutrient-dense diet can be one of the most effective ways to cure insomnia. The foods listed in this article contain high amounts of tryptophan and melatonin, which will help to regulate your sleep and wake cycle.
Please remember to adjust your biological clock, do not over consume tryptophan or melatonin, and try to reduce caffeine intake in the evenings. If you still experience sleeplessness for a prolonged period of time, please seek the help of a medical professional.
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