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Foods for Sleep

The Best Foods for Sleep

The brain is highly affected, for better or for worse, by nutrition. So it stands to reason that sleep can also be highly affected, for better or for worse, by what you eat. Some foods help you sleep restfully; others have the opposite effect. “Sleepers” are foods-for-sleepfoods for sleep that contain tryptophan, the amino acid that the body uses to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter that slows down nerve traffic so your brain isn’t so busy. The body also uses tryptophan to help make melatonin. “Wakers” are foods that do the opposite; they stimulate neurochemicals that perk up the brain and are not foods for sleep.

It’s not difficult to get enough tryptophan to set up the brain for sleep. Foods for sleep are high in tryptophan and healthy carbohydrates (foods that naturally contain fiber, protein, and fat in addition to sugars). Good carbs help more tryptophan get into the brain tissue to make sleep-inducing substances, such as melatonin and serotonin. (High-protein meals are also good for breakfast, since protein tends to perk up the brain.) For a restful night’s sleep, shoot for an early evening meal and before-bed snack comprised of foods for sleep that in total contain at least 300 milligrams of tryptophan.

Foods for Sleep:

Snooze Foods:Portion Size:Tryptophan (in milligrams):
Wild game, elk6 ounces900
Turkey6 ounces600
Chicken6 ounces600
Beef6 ounces600
Lamb6 ounces600
Salmon6 ounces400-500
Tuna6 ounces400-500
Bean burrito with cheese1 medium200
Cottage cheese½ cup175
Hazelnuts1 ounce167
Pumpkin seeds1 ounce164
Eggs2 large150
Tofu3 ounces125
Milk8 ounces115
Sesame seeds1 ounce105
Almonds1 ounce100
Cheddar cheese1 ounce91
Beans½ cup90
Sunflower seeds1 ounce84
Oatmeal1 cup84

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