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Trying to get more shut-eye? Take a look at your diet. Eating the right foods in the hours
before you hit the hay may help you fall asleep faster, say experts, and even improve
the quality of your sleep. Keep reading for your get-sleepy grocery list, and remember to
stop noshing two hours before bedtime to give your body enough time to properly
digest.



³Almonds are a winner,´ says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the
Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, and author of the bestselling book Ê
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Ê  ³They contain magnesium which promotes both sleep and muscle relaxation,´
he says. ³And they have the added benefit of supplying proteins that can help maintain
a stable blood sugar level while sleeping, and help promote sleep by switching you from
your alert adrenaline cycle to your rest-and-digest cycle.´ Try this bedtime snack: Have
a tablespoon of almond butter or a 1-ounce portion of almonds to help your body relax.


 


 
Ôes, avoiding all caffeine in the evening hours is key, but some decaf varieties can help
get you into sleep mode, says Dr. Teitelbaum. ³Chamomile tea is a very helpful and
safe sleep aid,´ he says, adding that green tea is another good choice. ³Green tea
contains theanine, which helps promote sleep. Just be sure you get a decaf green tea if
drinking it at bedtime.´ Experts recommend trying a 1-cup serving of the hot stuff. 





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Ôou love to order this comforting, broth-based soup in Japanese restaurants, but
keeping a few 8-ounce packs of instant miso soup at home may be key when you¶re
having trouble falling asleep, says Stella Metsovas, CN, a nutritionist in Laguna Beach,
California. Here¶s why: Miso contains amino acids that may boost the production of
melatonin, a natural hormone that can help induce the yawns. Bonus: Research shows
that warm liquids like soup and tea may also relieve cold symptoms, helping you sleep
better when you're feeling under the weather. 

 


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Worried about falling asleep tonight? Have a banana before bed, says Saundra Dalton-
Smith, MD, an internist and the author of  Ê 
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      ³Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium and
potassium, which help to relax overstressed muscles. They also contain tryptophan,
which convert to serotonin and melatonin, the brain¶s key calming hormones." Try this
tasty and incredibly simple bedtime smoothie: Blend one banana with one cup of milk or
soy milk (and ice, if desired). Pour and enjoy! 

 


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Ôogurt, milk and cheese do contain tryptophan, notes Dr. Dalton-Smith, but also have a
surprising sleep-inducing nutrient: ³Calcium is effective in stress reduction and
stabilization of nerve fibers, including those in the brain." That means a serving of your
favorite Greek yogurt before bed can not only help you sleep, but also help you stop
worrying about the weird thing your boss said earlier at work. 




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Ôou eat it for breakfast, but could a bowl of warm oatmeal help you get more rest? Ôes,
says Stephan Dorlandt, a clinical nutritionist based in Southern California. ³Think about
it,´ he says. ³Oatmeal is warm,soft, soothing, easy to prepare, inexpensive and
nourishing. It¶s rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon and potassium²the
who's who of nutrients known to support sleep.´ But go easy on the sweeteners; too
much sugar before bed can have an anti-calming effect. Instead, consider topping your
bowl with fruit, like bananas (see above). 

 




 


If you have trouble staying asleep at night, it may be because you didn¶t eat a pre-
bedtime snack high in protein, or perhaps your snack was too high in simple, high-sugar
carbohydrates, like cake and candy. ³The problem with simple carbs is that they can put
you on a µsugar roller coaster¶ and drop your blood sugar while you're sleeping, causing
you to wake at 2 or 3 in the morning,´ says Dr. Teitelbaum. A better bet? ³Eat an egg,
cheese, nuts or other protein-rich snack instead,´ he says, ³so you can not only fall
asleep, but stay asleep.´ 

 




Craving a salty snack before bed? Turn to lightly salted edamame, says Dr. Dalton-
Smith²especially if you¶re dealing with menopause-related symptoms. ³The natural
estrogen-like compounds found in soy-based products can be very beneficial in
controlling those nighttime hot flashes that can disturb your sleep,´ she says. If it¶s
crackers and dip you¶re craving, try making this easy edamame recipe: In a food
processor, blend together 2 cups of shelled, cooked edamame with 1 tsp salt, a drizzle
of olive oil and 1 clove garlic (optional) until smooth. 








Oddly, a glass of cherry juice may be an effective way to fall asleep faster, says a team
of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and University of Rochester. In their
study, they found that cherries, particularly tart cherries, naturally boosted the body¶s
supply of melatonin, which helped people with insomnia. While the jury is still out on
how much juice or how many cherries are needed to make you sleepy, experts say
sipping a glass of cherry juice (available at most natural foods stores) or having a
serving of fresh, frozen or dried cherries before bedtime couldn¶t hurt. 






There¶s no need to feel guilty about having a small bowl of cereal before bed, especially
if it¶s a low-sugar, whole-grain cereal. Not only is it a healthy snack (make sure you top
it with milk to give your body the protein it needs), but it may also help you snooze.
³Complex carbohydrate±rich foods increase the availability of tryptophan in the
bloodstream, increasing the sleep-inducing effects,´ says Dr. Dalton-Smith. Bonus: Top
your bowl with a sprinkling of dried cherries (see above) for extra help catching your
zzz's.