Sleep affects every aspect of our health. Fortunately, some foods and drinks contain compounds that help to control parts of our sleeping cycle, allowing us to both fall asleep or stay awake.

Sleep quality can highly influence many different body conditions on the short and long term such as: Obesity, Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Hypertension, but it can also affect our mental health. Constant lack of sleep may in fact, have severe consequences on our mind and body. As a result, chronic sleep deprivation or inconsistent sleeping patterns can significantly increase stress and anxiety levels.

When we tend to work a lot, travel and have stressful life periods, sleeping smoothly can result difficult. However, small yet effective changes to our daily routine can help us to improve and maintain healthy sleeping patterns on the long run.

Find out what are the best foods and drinks to include in your daily diet to promote good and healthy sleeping cycles.

Almonds

Almonds are rich in melatonin, which supports regular sleeping patterns. Melatonin is a hormone that helps to regulate sleeping and waking cycles. A serving of almonds contains both magnesium and calcium, two minerals that help to promote muscle relaxation and deep sleep. Almonds are a healthy snack, as they are high in good fats and low in sugar and saturated fats.

They can be consumed as a quick energy boost snack or you can enjoy them combined together with other foods. We love to use almonds as a tasty topping on our salads or as a crunchy topping on our pesto pasta!

Warm milk

Warm milk is a common home remedy for sleeplessness as it contains four sleep-promoting compounds: tryptophan, calcium, vitamin D, and melatonin. The melatonin present in milk, helps to regulate circadian rhythms, while preparing the body to get read to fall asleep

Just as a cup of tea, having a warm cup of milk before bed can be a relaxing nightly ritual. Plant-based milk such as: almond, rice, coconut and oat milk are also ideal as they are low in fat, have a healthy combination of mono and polyunsaturated fats, are lactose free, are packed with vitamins and minerals , do not contain cholesterol and are recommended for people who have slow digestion.

Chamomile tea

The herb chamomile is a traditional remedy for insomnia thanks to the calming properties that it contains. Although only weak evidence was found that chamomile may improve sleep quality, having a warm cup of tea can be a soothing ritual to help a person mentally prepare for bed.

Walnuts

Walnuts contain vital compounds that promote and regulate sleep, such as: melatonin, serotonin, and magnesium. Walnuts are high in melatonin, meaning that you can enjoy a 5-8 of them just before getting to bed, or in between meals as a quite but very nutritional and delicious snack!

Cherries

Cherries are a great source of Vitamin C and are rich in four different sleep-regulating compounds: melatonin, tryptophan, potassium, and serotonin. Particularly tart cherries, being very high in melatonin, naturally control the body’s internal clock, regulating sleeping patterns. During the winter season, dried cherries and cherry juice can be consumed as substitutes.

Fatty fish

Serotonin is a chemical present in the brain that is predominately responsible for promoting a positive mood, as well as controlling and influencing sleeping and waking cycles. Eating certain type of foods that contain amino acids such as: tryptophan can help the body to produce more serotonin. Salmon and fatty fish contain sleep-promoting nutrients which are rich in Vitamin D such as: potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, folate and calcium.

Eating from two to three portions of fish per week, should provide enough tryptophan for most people. Vegetarians and vegans can include omega-3 food sources in their diet from other delicious plant-based sources such as: walnuts, pumpkin seeds and soy.

Lettuce

We all know how a good salad, topped with our favorite and super delicious ingredients can be a healthy habit, but did you know that lettuce, the popular base for our delicious salads can also improve your sleep?

Lettuce and lettuce seed oil may help to treat insomnia and promote a good night’s sleep. Some people claim that lettuce has a mild sedative-hypnotic effect. Researchers believe that most of lettuce’s sedative effects are due to the plant’s n-butanol fraction, contained in the compound called lactucin. Studies have also proven that lettuce not only increased sleep duration but that it also protected cells against inflammation and damage resulting from stress during sleep disturbances.

Other natural remedies

Aside from foods, other traditional or alternative remedies that can improve sleep include valerian, passionflower tea and kava. It is best to speak with a doctor before taking any new supplements to ensure that they will not interact with other medications or supplements or affect any existing medical conditions that you may be affected by.

Some lifestyle and diet adjustments can also help you sleep longer and help you regulate your sleep cycle. These tips include: avoiding foods that can cause heartburn such as spicy or rich foods in the evening, foods and drinks that contain caffeine and are high in sugar should be avoided close to bedtime, choose whole-grain foods in place of white bread, white pasta, and sugary foods try not to skip meals, staying hydrated, exercise regularly, and last but not least you should finish eating more than 2–3 hours before bedtime. Our natural CBD oils and adaptogens are developed to naturally relax and restore the mind. They encourage deep sleep to promote the renewal and rejuvenation of tissues and neve cells.