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What do you need to eat to sleep well?
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
A good night's sleep is an integral part of our well-being. During rest, our body recovers and replenishes energy reserves. Poor, restless sleep will not bring any benefit, and the morning will begin with a headache and a bad mood.
How can we avoid such troubles? It turns out that some products can have a positive effect on the quality of our sleep and even help us fall asleep. Products that contain tryptophan, an amino acid that our body uses as a raw material for the production of melatonin and serotonin, have a relaxing effect on the human body. Turkey, lentils, bananas, nuts, seeds and eggs are especially rich in tryptophan.
However, before you reach for sleepy foods before bed, remember that eating too much can have the opposite effect and keep you awake for a long time.
Cherry
Dried or fresh cherries are rich in melatonin, which regulates the body's biorhythms, as well as sleep and wakefulness. Cherries can be eaten one hour before bedtime.
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Bananas
Just like cherries, they are a natural source of tryptophan and also contain magnesium and potassium, which help relax muscles.
Bread
Bread is rich in carbohydrates, which means it stimulates the production of insulin in the pancreas. Insulin is the hormone that lowers blood sugar levels and is also responsible for moving tryptophan to the brain, where it accelerates the production of serotonin.
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Oatmeal
Just like bread, oatmeal contains a large amount of carbohydrates and is also a source of melatonin, which is involved in the regulation of human biorhythms.
Milk
Milk also contains tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin in the brain. In addition, milk is an excellent source of calcium, which in turn has a calming effect.
Remember that there are also products that have a negative effect on sleep, increasing the production of the hormone adrenaline, which does not contribute to falling asleep. Protein foods should not be eaten at night, because they stimulate the body. Among the products that are undesirable to eat before bed are protein and fatty foods, sweets, caffeine and cold foods.