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Whether it is Thanksgiving dinner or coming from the long trip, at the end we all want to take a blissful sleep, to enjoy the next morning with full freshness and a new hope. Many sleep experts and nutritionists, have shown different studies to find out best food for sleep but no evidence are present to provide information about any single food that gives good sleep.  Sleep, on the other hand is affected by many things mental health, physical issues or sometimes improper food diet. Research shows that 35% of American adults suffering from symptoms of insomnia i.e. difficulty in sleeping for many reasons. As recommended by Nutritionists, eating a balanced and proper diet including protein diet, vitamins, minerals, vegetables and fruits etc. can promote sleep. 

The Mediterranean Diet is associated with better sleep and many other benefits also. Research suggest that there are some foods and drinks, which contain compounds, that help to control parts of the sleep cycle, i.e. it help a person to fall and stay asleep. Different Nutrients, chemicals, enzymes and amino acids which work together to promote good sleep and regulate the sleep cycle includes:

• Tryptophan, Serotonin, Histamine, L-ornithine
• Melatonin
• Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium
• Acetylcholine
• Folate
• Antioxidants
• Vitamin D and B
• Zinc and Copper

Vandana Sheth, a registered dietician and a nutritionist in California, suggested that foods that contains specific nutrients enhance the ability and the quality of sleep. Some of the foods which help to fall asleep include:

Kiwi Fruit

Kiwi is a small, oval-shaped, green color fruit grown in many countries but mainly associated to New Zealand. Possessing many nutrients including vitamins and mineral like vitamins C, potassium etc. and sleep promoting compounds like melatonin, anthocyanin, flavonoids, carotenoids, folate etc. which can help to improve sleep as reported in research. It is also said in one study that those who ate two kiwi, an hour before going bed, fell asleep faster and had good quality of sleep. So at the end, kiwi is beneficial which promotes sleep. 

Cherries and Cherry Juice

Cherries like tart cherry or sour cherry like Richmond, Montmorency or cherry juice shows many beneficial effects. Research found that it contains anti-oxidants and melatonin hormone which promote healthy sleep. 

Many studies have found that those who drink tart cherry juice will find benefits in sleeping. One study found that people who drank two cup tart cherry juice per day were found to have more sleep time.

Malted Milk and Warm Milk

Malted milk is a mixture of especially formulated powder of barley, wheat flour, and evaporated whole milk which contains vitamins like vitamins B and D. some studies found that malted milk reduced sleep disturbances.

Cow milk contains melatonin hormone, which can be useful, in providing a natural source of the sleep-producing hormone whereas warm milk is considered to be common home remedy for sleeplessness as it contains many sleep-promoting compounds like tryptophan, melatonin, vitamin D and calcium.

Protein-rich foods for dinner

Many protein rich foods are available like fish, cheese, eggs etc. which contains different sleep causing compounds like amino acid L-ornithine, which help to improve sleeping quality. On the other hand Fatty fish, which is rich in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, which help in serotonin regulation, which is responsible for setting a fixed sleeping and waking cycle. 

Fatty fish like Atlantic salmon, are typically also high in a few sleep-promoting nutrients like potassium, folate, zinc, magnesium calcium, phosphorous and vitamin B-12.

Study said that those who consumed 300 g of Atlantic salmon thrice a week for 6 months fell asleep more fast and functioned better in the day time than those who consumed beef, chicken or pork. 

Nuts

Nuts like almonds, walnuts etc. are often considered to be a good source for sleep. Almonds contain high doses of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the sleeping and waking cycle. Walnuts on the other hand, are rich in few compounds like magnesium, melatonin, serotonin which promote and regulate sleep. 

Lifestyle Change

Those who still experience sleeping problem must bring some changes in their lifestyle. The changes includes:

• Avoid junk or spicy foods that cause heartburn as it interferes in sleeping cycle
• Avoid foods and drinks before bedtime that contain caffeine.
• Avoiding to skip meals as it cause difficulty in sleeping.

Conclusion

Nutritionist recommended that a balanced and proper diet including several vegetable and fruits, are rich in many sources will give you proper sleep. Dietary choices in fact, play a major role in many things like sleepiness, cardiovascular health, weight and blood sugar levels maintenance etc. it is beneficial if the dietary choices on doctors’ advice, as it gives you more benefits than your self-advice.