Recipes That May Help You Sleep Better

We all know that getting enough sleep is important. But did you know that

sleep deficiency can increase the risk for health issues such as heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes or even a stroke? A lack of sleep can also affect the way you think, react or even how you interact with other people.

If you are one of the many people who suffer from not getting enough zzz’s, I have good news for you. The solution to a restful night of sleep may  be in your pantry or fridge. While foods like coffee or caffeinated teas can keep us awake at night, there are other foods that contain certain vitamins, minerals and amino acids that can aid sleep and relaxation.

Foods that contain tryptophan might be key to your peaceful night’s sleep.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that turns into relaxing brain chemicals like serotonin, the hormone that is makes us feel good. The serotonin is then used to make melatonin. This is the hormone that is responsible for regulating your circadian rhythm (sleep/wake pattern).

Finally, a healthy solution as simple as enjoying a snack before bedtime!

Eat Your Way to Better Sleep

Obviously eating for sleep isn’t difficult, however there are a few things to keep in mind. Keep your bedtime snack on the light side. Overloading your stomach with food can set yourself up for a frustrating night of sleepless tossing and turning. Aim for a light snack about an hour before bed.

1. Cherry Juice

Cherries are a natural source of both melatonin and tryptophan, perfect

for inducing slumber. According to research from Louisiana State University, regularly drinking cherry juice can earn you an average of 84 extra minutes of blissful sleep each night. In this study, cherry juice has shown to provide an increase in melatonin, which is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality.

Recipes to Try:

• Sour Cherry Oatmeal
• Bay-Infused Currant and Sour Cherry Jam with Almond
• Cherry Chia Jam
• Apple Cherry Crisp
• Cherry Turmeric Bedtime Tea

2. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the best foods to help get your body ready for bed. It’s full of

melatonin, the sleep hormone and its complex carbohydrates will help get the boosted tryptophan to the brain. Since oatmeal on its own is pretty neutral in flavor, it makes an excellent vehicle for pairing it with other sleep boosting foods like almond butter or bananas.

Recipes to try:

• Banana Bread Oatmeal
• Baked Banana Oatmeal Bars
• White Chocolate Raspberry Overnight Oatmeal
• Kiwi & Lemon Oatmeal
• Banana Almond Butter Oatmeal

3. Bananas

Perfectly snack-sized and packed with muscle relaxing minerals like

potassium and magnesium, bananas are a great nighttime choice. Plus, you can make ice cream with them. Sleeping better by eating a bowl of banana ice cream before bed? Yes, please!

 

Recipes to Try:

• One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream
• Whole Grain Banana Bread
• Raspberry & Banana Popsicles
• Southern-Style Banana Pudding
• Cinnamon-Pecan-Almond Banana Boats

4. Almonds

Almonds are full of magnesium and calcium, both of which help you sleep.

Grab a handful of almonds or slather some almond butter on a piece of whole grain toast and enjoy the benefits as you drift to sleep faster.

Recipes to try:

• Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
• Homemade Chocolate Almond Milk
• Almond Butter Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
• Basic Homemade Almond Butter
• No-Bake Almond Joy Bars

5. Kiwi

Could kiwi be the secret weapon against sleepless nights? Possibly. Kiwi is

high in both antioxidants and serotonin. In one study, eating kiwis an hour before bed was shown to not only help people fall asleep faster, but stay asleep longer and sleep more soundly as well.

 

Recipes to Try:

• Blueberry & Kiwi Tart
• Creamy Kiwi Lime Avocado Pie
• Minty Kiwi Kreme Green Smoothie
• Watermelon Kiwi Popsicles
• Kiwi Banana Ice Cream

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This is a great read for any of us with sleep issues and I know as I get older, the sleep issues have come upon me regularly. I’ve accepted this as part of my life, but really love it when I can sleep better, and I’m sure you feel the same.  Who else out there has sleep issues, and do you want to share what you do to get a better night’s sleep?

You see some recipes mentioned with some of the foods to help you sleep, but I’ve not put the recipe in this post because it would be way too long so maybe there will be another post in the near future with some of these recipes.

I hope you have a great day!