Tart cherries, or tart cherry juice, can help you drift off at night because of their high concentration of melatonin – a hormone that aids sleep. A study in the European Journal of Nutrition found that drinking tart cherry juice resulted in significantly improved total sleep time and sleep efficiency in participants, and tart cherry juice has also been studied for its role in relieving insomnia
Another fruit that might help you get a good night’s sleep is kiwi. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, and more than one scientific study has suggested they aid sleep. One of these found that eating two kiwifruits one hour before bed improved both sleep onset and duration. It’s thought that this is because kiwis are high in serotonin, a hormone which has been shown to improve sleep
Fatty fish has numerous health benefits – including boosting brain and heart health – due to the fact it contains omega-3. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that participants who ate salmon three times per week experienced more positive changes in sleep than a control group. Other fatty fishes include tuna, trout and mackerel
Almonds and walnuts in particular are considered to be good foods for sleep, again because of their omega-3 content and the fact they contain magnesium, which is widely regarded to promote relaxation. A study carried out on mice previously found that walnuts can increase sleep duration
While caffeinated tea won’t help you drift off, herbal tea is enjoyed by many in the evening. Chamomile tea in particular is beneficial for sleep, as research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development found it to have a natural sedative effect. A separate 2017 study found that participants who started drinking chamomile tea reported fewer sleep difficulty-related symptoms within two weeks.
Malted milk, such as Horlick’s, has long been used as a comforting evening drink. This is because malt barley is a complex carbohydrate, and also contains vitamin B and D, which are thought to aid sleep. A study published in the British Medical Journal found that participants who drank Horlick’s before bed slept for longer and experienced lest restlessness in the night
