Sleep and Insomnia – Natural Foods and Supplements
If you are having difficulty getting good quality sleep, you are not alone in your search for rest. A variety of surveys report on average 10% of the American population struggle with sleep issues. From an natural view, there are so many helpful ways to improve both sleep quality and duration. There are options to try from food and supplements to exercise and mediation. Some people will only need to change 1 or 2 things in their life to improve sleep, while others will need to change as many habits as possible. In this post will focus on the food and nutrient side that supports restful sleep. In future posts I will cover some exercises and meditation techniques that can be useful.
Part 1 – Foods for Improving Sleep:
While high stress remains the most common cause of insomnia, eating the wrong foods can be a major contributing factor and even make stress worse. The major problematic food classes include: sugar, caffeine, alcohol, gluten and poor quality fats (industrial seed oils). Therefore, removing some of these problematic foods and improving diet overall is an important first step toward towards more restful sleep. After removing problematic foods, start adding nutrient rich foods such as:
Almonds:
A rich source of Magnesium, almonds are one of the best foods for treating insomnia. Found in food and supplement form, Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxing mineral and also works to calm the central nervous system. The Journal of Research in Medical Sciences (12/2012) published a study which found that magnesium can “improve subjective measures of insomnia, such as ISI score, sleep efficiency, sleep time and sleep onset latency, early morning awakening, and likewise, insomnia objective measures, such as concentration of serum renin, melatonin and serum cortisol, in elderly people.”
Cherries:
Cherries and especially products made from tart cherry juice have been linked to improved sleep. Some studies have shown that tart cherry juice concentrate can help to raise total melatonin levels, which are critical to deeper quality.
Bananas:
Banana is well-known for boosting energy, but it also supplies many of the nutrients critical for sleep. Rich in magnesium, potassium and tryptophan, bananas contain the “magic trio” of sleep helpers. The amino acid Tryptophan is especially effective since it is a critical precursor to the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin (both are needed for sleep).
Part 2 – Supplements for Insomnia
Below is a list of supplements shown to be helpful for insomnia. Dosages will depend on the individual so please discuss with a health care professional before beginning any new supplements.
- Magnesium (glycinate or malate) – 200-400 mg/day in divided doses.
- Passion Flower Extract – Taken as a liquid extract or capsule – passion flower can enhance GABA production to produce a calming effect
- L-Theanine is a relaxing amino acid found in green tea, also available as a supplement. Clinical studies have shown L-theanine to induce a sense of calm in patients with anxiety. At typical dosages (100-200 mg) L-theanine does not act as a sedative, but it does significantly improve sleep quality. Hence it is a good support agent to melatonin and other supplements.
- Other Supplement Options: GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid), Phosphatidylserine (PS), Melatonin.
