8 Fruits That Can Help You Sleep Better Naturally
fruits that help you sleep: Consuming more fruit in general may help improve sleep quality. However, specific fruits, such as bananas, kiwi, cherries, and more, help you get a good night’s rest more than others.
1. Cherries
Tart cherries (and tart cherry juice) are well-known for their sleep-inducing properties. Research shows that regularly consuming this fruit or its juice is linked to improvements in sleep quality and duration.
Experts believe cherry’s melatonin and tryptophan content, compounds that regulate sleep, help promote a healthier sleep cycle.
2. Bananas
Because they contain tryptophan, potassium, and magnesium, bananas are a key fruit for boosting sleep quality.56 Consuming this combination has been shown to help you relax, fall asleep more quickly, and sleep more soundly.
fruits that help you sleep, What’s more, bananas contain carbohydrates, which support the way tryptophan works in the body to promote sleep.
3. Strawberries
Strawberries contain melatonin and other key sleep nutrients that can encourage better rest.9 Specifically, vitamin B5 can help further induce the sleep-inducing chemicals serotonin and melatonin in the brain, and vitamin C can help improve immunity and gut health, which is linked to sleep quality.
4. Oranges
While oranges and orange juice are often considered breakfast staples, this fruit can benefit sleep improvement. Oranges are naturally high in melatonin, and also contain a nutrient known as choline that might support sleep even more.
Oranges’ potent vitamin C content encourages sleep by decreasing stress hormones in the body, while vitamin B6 helps boost sleep-inducing tryptophan and melatonin levels.
5. Grapes
Grapes are rich in melatonin and contain antioxidants that help ease stress and inflammation to support a better night’s sleep.
What’s more, grapes contain the electrolyte magnesium, which is known to have calming effects, and fiber, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer, potentially decreasing the chances that your slumber will be interrupted by hunger.
6. Pineapple
Pineapple may enhance sleep due to compounds like melatonin, tryptophan, and antioxidants. Studies suggest that this fruit (or its juice) is effective for improving sleep-improving melatonin levels in the body.
Its bromelain enzyme is thought to calm inflammation and encourage muscle relaxation, which might support a better night’s sleep.14
7. Kiwi
Naturally full of serotonin and vitamin C, kiwis may help boost sleep quality and duration because these compounds promote melatonin production in the body.
Some research suggests that consuming kiwis shortly before bedtime can significantly improve sleep quality in people with sleep disorders. However, additional research is needed on this connection in people with occasional sleep disruptions.
8. Avocado
While it’s often not considered a fruit, avocados support sleep due to their magnesium and fiber content. This combination encourages the production and regulation of melatonin, with some research suggesting that the daily consumption of one avocado might induce sleep and other health benefits.
Additionally, the fiber found in avocados helps you feel fuller for longer and is linked to gut health benefits that can improve sleep quality.
Other Tips for Supporting Sleep
Along with incorporating some of these fruits into your eating plan, other sleep tips to keep in mind include:
Limit caffeine in the afternoon and evening before bed to avoid stimulating your body and mind.
Skip sugary snacks at night to prevent spiking blood sugar and energy levels.
Minimize alcohol ahead of your bedtime to promote a more restful sleep.
Try maintaining a set bedtime each night, even on the weekends, to regulate your body’s internal sleep-wake clock.
Sleep in a cool, quiet, dark bedroom, if possible, to encourage slumber.
Consume sleep-promoting fruits, like bananas, an hour or two before bedtime to allow your body to digest the nutrients.
Consider other light, nutritious evening snacks with carbohydrates and fiber to support improved sleep quality.
Boege HL, Wilson KD, Kilkus JM, et al. Higher daytime intake of fruits and vegetables predicts less disrupted nighttime sleep in younger adults.
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