Are you one of 70 million Americans who experience restless nights where you’re tossing, turning, and constantly waking up? Maybe you’ve already tried a slew of things in hopes of getting a good night’s sleep - from turning off electronics to blackout curtains, to spraying your pillows with lavender, but it’s still a struggle. We feel your pain and we just might have a solution you haven’t tried.

What if we told you there are certain foods that can improve the quality of your sleep and help you get those well deserved zzz’s?  Science has shown that one key to better sleep starts at the dinner table. Tryptophan, for example, is an amino acid that encourages the release of sleep hormones and is found in some of the foods you love. It’s not only what you eat that matters though, but also how you eat. Digestion slows when you’re laying down which can cause discomfort as you’re drifting off to sleep. So eating a large meal late in the evening isn’t ideal.

To help you rest easy,  we’re sharing eight of the top foods to add to your dinner menu and a few bonus tips on what you’ll want to avoid.  Bon appetit and sweet dreams!

Foods That Improve Sleep Quality

Almonds + Cashews: These go-to nuts contain magnesium, a mineral which acts like a natural sedative. Even a small deficiency in magnesium can lead to trouble in the sleep department. 

Apricots: Not only pretty and deliciously tangy-tart, they’re chock full of vitamin C which can help relieve stress. Vitamin C-rich foods have been shown to help your body recover faster from stress, and fewer rattled nerves may mean better sleep. 

Asparagus: These green stalks are famous for helping us cleanse but they’re also high in folate, which is essential for cardiovascular health and has been linked to anxiety and mood regulation, both which can affect your slumber. 

Bananas: Sweet and creamy, this fruit is a rich source of melatonin, a sleep hormone - as well as potassium, which helps normalize your heartbeat. 

Cheese: Swiss or cheddar, more specifically, are a great source of tryptophan which encourages the release of melatonin. The hormone that helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. 

Nutmeg: Researchers have shown that nutmeg improves blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and it’s also earned a reputation as a home remedy for menstrual cramps and anxiety. 

Tart cherries: This fruit is loaded with anthocyanins, an important type of antioxidant that lowers inflammation, as well as cholesterol and triglyceride levels. But they’re sleeping beauties, too, since cherries are also a natural source of melatonin.

Oatmeal: Oats contain more tryptophan per serving than turkey, the food famous for making you sleepy. This amino acid is converted to the feel-good and sleep-controlling hormone, serotonin. Not only that, but just one cup provides you with 60 mg of magnesium. If you have trouble quieting down your brain at night, a lack of magnesium might be to blame. Optimal magnesium levels are needed for getting better sleep.

Foods To Avoid

High fat meals: Heavy meals loaded with unhealthy fats and refined carbs have been shown to cause disturbances in your sleep/wake cycle and disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythms which makes it more difficult to fall asleep.

Added sugars: The sweet stuff will affect blood sugar levels, giving you a short burst of energy, before a large drop. As your blood sugar levels fall, your sleep can be disrupted in the middle of the night.

Caffeine: That cup of coffee at night may cause insomnia and restlessness. Try your best to avoid soda, coffee, tea and chocolate after 12:00 p.m.

Alcohol: Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but your quality of sleep throughout the night will be negatively impacted and likely leave you feeling groggy when you wake up.

A lack of quality sleep can have many negative side effects, including irritability, difficulty focusing and an overall lack of ability to function properly. That’s why it’s important for you to try different things, like avoiding certain foods and adding others to your diet. It just might be your key to less tossing and turning at night and more jumping for joy during the day.

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

7 Tips To Help You Sleep Like A Baby

Best Yoga Poses For Better Sleep

You’ve tried sipping Sleepytime tea, turning off all your screens an hour before bedtime, and even spraying your pillow with lavender - but you still can’t sleep. And less sleep equals more stress, which increases our cortisol levels, negatively affecting the quality and quantity of sleep we get - so you need it.

Yoga can help. A Harvard study on insomnia found that when people practiced yoga for 8 weeks, their sleep improved significantly, including their total sleep time and quality of sleep.

Losing sleep can turn into a vicious cycle and it’s best to break it ASAP, so ditch the late-night Candy Crush, and instead try these five poses to catch a solid eight hours:

Supine Twist

Practiced before bed, this yoga pose helps your spine release tension and relax to stress less and sleep more.

Lie on your back and hug your knees toward your chest. Bring your arms out into a T and lower your knees down to the right, keeping them in line with the navel to stretch the lower back. Hold for 1-5 minutes and repeat on the other side to ring out spinal tension.

Child’s Pose

This pose is known for helping to reduce stress while encouraging sleep, due to the forward folded position. 
Start in a tabletop position with your wrists underneath your shoulders and knees underneath your hips; big toes to touching. Shift your hips back toward your heels as you lengthen the hands in the opposite direction; gently creating more space in the spine. Rest your forehead on the floor, or on a block or firm pillow. Hold for 1-5 minutes to calm the nervous system and relieve stress. (If your hips don’t reach your feet, don’t worry, just go as far as you can until you feel a stretch).

Legs up the Wall with Extended Exhale

Bringing your legs above the head, in a restorative position, allows the nervous system to calm down and increase blood flow and circulation, combined with a breathing exercise, it’s the ultimate turn-down pose.

Sit with your right hip up against the wall or the headboard of your bed, with your hands back behind you for support.  Slowly bring your legs up the wall as you lower onto your back with your, hands by your sides. If your hamstrings are tight, your hips may be a few inches away from the wall. Take a deep inhale through the nose, to the count of four, completely inflating the lungs. On the exhale, slow down the breath and empty to a count of eight until the navel contracts back into the spine.  Stay here, continuing this breathing pattern, for 5-10 minutes to calm the mind.

Supta Baddha Konasana

Supta Baddha Konasana is a wonderful pose that helps you to reach a deep state of relaxation by improving circulation and calming your nervous system.

Start by placing a pillow or a bolster at the base of your back. Bend your legs and gently place the soles of your feet together, but don’t push – just relax. Lie your body back across the pillow or bolster, and allow your body to open up and relax into the position. Breathe slowly and hold the position for at least 5 minutes.

Supported Savasana

This is the final pose before you go to sleep, as it really helps your mind to relax.

Lie down on the floor, with either a yoga mat or other cushioning, letting your arms and legs relax, palms facing up to open your shoulders. Focus on breathing slowly and deeply, and close your eyes. Stay like this for at least 5 minutes. Come out of the pose by slowly drawing your knees into your chest, then lie down to sleep. (Alternatively, you can do this pose in bed and fall right asleep).

Think of these poses as a restorative meditation and focus the mind solely on the breath as you inhale and exhale. Resist any temptation to lie on your back, hold your phone in the air, and scroll through your social media feed - your sleep is more important than your friend’s latest selfie.

If you found this interesting, check out these related stories:

Our Favorite Wellness Apps

7 Tips To Help You Sleep Like A Baby