We recently talked about the importance of getting enough sleep in Sleep More….. Weigh Less…..Live Longer. Sleep is one of most important activities you can do for your body, even ahead of exercise and eating a nutrient dense diet. (Though conversely if you exercise and eat a healthy diet you will naturally sleep better!) Most everyone I know has had a difficult time lately getting or staying asleep. My clients are forever asking my suggestions to help them sleep more. There are various things I suggest but one of the biggest is the foods they choose. Concentrated sources of tryptophan (the precursor to seratonin, the sleep hormone) along with a healthy carbohydrate-rich foods can help you get to sleep faster and achieve deep, restorative sleep.
Your body cannot make the amino acid tryptophan; you must get it from the foods you eat. Once tryptophan crosses from your bloodstream into your brain (blood-brain barrier) it is used to make a hormone called serotonin.
Serotonin is necessary to promote feelings of sleepiness, calm, and relaxation. Seratonin then converts to melatonin, the “sleeping pill” of the body, which is responsible for getting into deep sleep.
Without enough serotonin in your system, you might have a hard time feeling sleepy enough to rest soundly. Without adequate levels of tryptophan within your brain, you may not be able to produce enough serotonin. Bottom line, no tryptophan, no seratonin; no seratonin, no melatonin; no melatonin, no sleep. Get the picture?
The challenge with getting tryptophan through to your brain is that it has to compete with other amino acids for access to the limited number of channels that line your blood-brain barrier. Tryptophan tends to be the weak little brother among other amino acids in natural foods. The other amino acids outnumber him.
The key to getting enough tryptophan to your brain to sleep well at night is to combine a tryptophan-rich food with a high quality, carbohydrate-rich food. This is because eating a carbohydrate-rich food causes your body to release insulin, which diverts many of your other amino acids away from your brain, leaving tryptophan less competition to cross your blood-brain barrier to get where it needs to be.
Here is a list of some healthy foods that are naturally rich in tryptophan:
- Beans
- Whole grains, including rice
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
- Hazelnuts/Almonds/Cashews
- Peanuts
- Eggs
- Sunflower seeds
- Popcorn
- Miso (fermented soy beans)
- Unsweetened soy milk
- Raw dairy products (if you can tolerate dairy)
If you combine any of the foods listed above with a healthy carbohydrate-rich food as an evening snack, your body should be able to produce enough serotonin to facilitate a good night’s rest.
What follows are some suggestions for healthy meals and snacks that combine a tryptophan-rich food with a carbohydrate-rich food:
- Rice with miso soup or our Vegan Miso Garlic Ginger Noodles
- Whole grain pita with hummous
- Whole grain crackers with organic, natural peanut butter
- Unsweetened whole grain cereal with soy milk (nut milk has the same effect on most of my clients)
- Rice with lentils
- Rice, black beans, and guacamole
- Hummous with steamed broccoli
- Eggs with whole grain toast
Be creative with your combinations of tryptophan-rich foods and carbohydrate-rich foods. There are endless ways of combining foods to help you achieve deep, rejuvenating sleep.
Wishing you peace and balance,
Jacqueline
Comments
How interesting! My grandmother swore by dairy products for a good night sleep, but I wasn’t aware of many of the others on your list. I’ll have to try some of these suggestions.
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Sleep is so important. I’ve read all of the same things you’re talking about–weight gain, shorter life span, etc when you don’t get enough shut eye. Thanks for the list of foods! I knew about turkey, but didn’t realize there were so many other foods to choose from.
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I love that popcorn is on this list, one of my favorite food groups! Thank you for sharing a great article.
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I love how you call popcorn a food group! I do too I love it that much!
I love popcorn, and having a reason to make more makes it even better! I like to pop mine in a little olive oil.
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Be careful about popping corn in olive oil. Temper it with a little ghee, grapeseed or other high smoke point oil. Olive oil is so delicate with such a low smoke point that to cook it makes it toxic for the body….
I’m sharing this with my mom. She struggles with insomnia. Although I see only a few things on the list she’d have any interest in consuming.
I think having small children in the home is also a cure for insomnia…at least it is for me! Haha!
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No wonder I fall asleep watching movies at night with my guys…it’s the popcorn! LOL. Seriously would have never guessed that there are foods that actually help with sleep. Thanks so much for sharing! Blessings!
Twitter: carlabkaram
Jacqueline… stop it now~! Seems like every time I read your blog it is as if you are talking directly to me… not to mention the feeling as if you are inside my head! LOL!! Thank you my dear for always coming through with wonderful information. Grace, peace and blessings, Carla
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Carla, you are too funny! I think I say what everyone wants to know but was afraid to ask!
I know sleep is necessary, vital, and rejuvenating, but I find myself wishing there were more hours in a day! I also know that my horrid sleeping habits (up late and up again very early) are going to catch up with me. Yet I continue on…doing that which I know is not good for me.
Maybe these types of posts will be the defining measure that causes me to pause some day and actually take care of myself rather than just saying I will later. Your blog certainly does make an impact. I think about things you post at odd times of the day (like when deciding to choose between an apple and something full of junk). That’s a good thing though.
I LOVE Hummus. I maybe will start having a little snack when I have insomnia. Thank you for the great healthy ideas. I have been changing the way I eat and I love finding healthy solutions to everyday problems.
I eat eggs 5 times a week… is that bad? It’s my breakfast staple.
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I think I know what reason for my sleepy habit now. it’s because rice, egg, lentils, beans, and peanuts
I always eat one of them everyday. no wonder I can sleep in short time
Twitter: insignifblog
Thanks for the great ideas! I’m an awful sleeper, so I’m going to have to give some of these a try!
Lisa
P.S. Thanks for linking up to the GtKY blog hop!
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So THAT explains the food coma I go into after whole-grain carb loading! I have had sleep issues in the past and have tried teas but never thought to include specific foods, very interesting.
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I knew there was a reason I ♥ eggs for dinner. And popcorn…yum!
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Featured this post on my blog this week!
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I’m honored you’ve included me in this list. Thanks Michelle!