Schedule your consultation. When thinking about how nutrition affects sleep quality, the first thing that comes to mind is what you should avoid consuming before heading to bed. Here are five foods that can improve your chances of getting the sleep you need. It might surprise you to learn that cherries are one of the most effective foods for improving sleep quality.

Cherries are one of the only foods that contain a natural source of melatonin, a chemical that regulates your sleep—wake cycle. Tart cherries, such as the Martmorency variety, contain the highest melatonin levels.

While cherries are only in season for a couple of months a year, you can get the same benefits by eating dried cherries or drinking tart cherry juice about an hour before bedtime. Many people turn to almonds as a source of protein or monounsaturated fat.

However, almonds also contain two chemicals that are good for sleep: magnesium and tryptophan. Magnesium acts as a muscle relaxant, which is why many athletes use it for post-workout recovery. Furthermore, it can calm nerves, helping you to release stress from your day.

If you have PMS and have a hard time sleeping prior to your period, phosphatidylserine for sleep support might be worth a try. Women taking phosphatidylserine for three cycles showed a reduction in PMS symptoms compared to placebo. PLP is needed to produce serotonin, which converts to melatonin, supporting sleep.

Vitamin B6 may also affect hormone balance, mood, brain health, and immunity. In one study where participants took vitamin B6 for sleep, they reported enhanced dreaming and recall of dreams.

The recommended daily allowance RDA for adults is 1. A vitamin B6 dosage for sleep starts around 5mg and goes up to mg.. To avoid this, do not supplement with more than mg of vitamin B6 daily and talk to your provider.

Another vital vitamin for sleep is vitamin B Vitamin B12 is essential for fertility, pregnancy, energy, brain health, and more. And deficiency is common in vegetarians and the elderly. Vitamin B12 and sleep also have a relationship as the vitamin impacts neurotransmitters and the circadian rhythm.

One study found that students with better B12 status scored higher on a sleep quality scale and were less likely to use sleep medication. Another recent study found no relationship between vitamin B12 and sleep over two weeks. However, this study used the cyanocobalmin form of B12 instead of the active and preferred methylcobalamin form.

The RDA for vitamin B12 is 2. For example, Adrenal Calm contains mcg. If you follow me on social media, then you know Adrenal Calm is my BFF when I travel and well, every night.

I love this supplement for its calming and relaxing benefits. This formula is my go-to when I need a chill pill. The synergistic blend of adaptogenic and nervine herbs, along with vitamins, amino acids, and phosphatidylserine is deeply nourishing, relaxing, and calming. As a licensed naturopathic physician who is board certified in naturopathic endocrinology, she takes an integrative approach in her clinical practice.

A fierce patient advocate and completely dedicated to uncovering the root cause of hormonal imbalances, Dr. Brighten empowers women worldwide to take control of their health and their hormones. She is the best selling author of Beyond the Pill and Healing Your Body Naturally After Childbirth.

She is a member of the MindBodyGreen Collective and a faculty member for the American Academy of Anti Aging Medicine. Her work has been featured in the New York Post, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, Bustle, The Guardian, Sports Illustrated, Elle, and ABC News.

Read more about me here. This starter pack is exactly what every woman needs to bring her hormones back into balance! Get Access. Hormone Starter Kit. About The Author Dr. Jolene Brighten Facebook Twitter Dr. Search Submit Clear.

Search Submit. Articles About Dr. Brighten Shop Book. Sleep helps your body and brain function properly. Getting good quality sleep often starts with good sleep practices and habits. For this reason, melatonin supplements have become a popular sleep aid, particularly in instances where the melatonin cycle is disrupted, such as jet lag Several studies report that melatonin improves daytime sleep quality and duration.

This is particularly beneficial for individuals whose schedules require them to sleep during the daytime, such as shift workers 11 , Melatonin may improve overall sleep quality in individuals with sleep disorders.

Specifically, melatonin appears to reduce the time people need to fall asleep known as sleep latency and increase the total amount of sleep time 13 , While some other studies have not found that melatonin has a positive effect on sleep, they are generally few. Those that have observed beneficial effects generally provide participants with 3—10 milligrams mg of melatonin before bedtime.

Melatonin supplements appear to be safe for adults when used for short periods, although more research is needed on their long-term effects 15 , Furthermore, melatonin is not recommended for people who are pregnant or nursing, because there is limited research on its safety and effectiveness Melatonin supplements may improve sleep quality when taken in doses of 3—10 mg.

They seem to be especially helpful if you have jet lag or are doing shift work. Valerian is an herb native to Asia and Europe. Its root is commonly used as a natural treatment for symptoms of anxiety, depression, and menopause.

Valerian root is also one of the most commonly used sleep-promoting herbal supplements in the United States and Europe Menopausal and postmenopausal women have seen their sleep quality and sleep disorder symptoms improve after taking valerian, according to one research review Another small study found that taking mg of valerian per night for 30 days led to significant improvements in sleep quality, latency, and duration compared with a placebo in people who had undergone heart surgery A study in 39 people undergoing hemodialysis found that taking mg of valerian root before bed for 1 month improved sleep quality, anxiety, and depression compared with a placebo Nevertheless, most observed improvements in these trials and studies were subjective.

For instance, it may lead to a small improvement in sleep latency 21 , Regardless, short-term intake of valerian root appears to be safe for adults, with minor, infrequent side effects Despite the lack of objective measurements behind valerian, adults may consider testing it out for themselves.

However, the safety of valerian remains uncertain for long-term use and use in certain populations, including people who are pregnant or nursing. Valerian root is a popular supplement that may improve sleep quality and sleep disorder symptoms when taken in doses of — mg, at least in some people.

More studies are needed on the safety of long-term use. In addition, magnesium may help quiet the mind and body, making it easier to fall asleep Magnesium is known to relax muscles and induce sleep 24 , Many forms of magnesium supplements are available, including some that combine magnesium with other sleep-promoting ingredients such as glycine or melatonin.

One study found that a combination of magnesium, melatonin, and vitamin B was effective in treating insomnia regardless of the cause Magnesium also appears to increase levels of gamma aminobutyric acid GABA , a brain messenger with calming effects Studies suggest that insufficient levels of magnesium in the body may be linked to troubled sleep and insomnia 25 , On the other hand, increasing your magnesium intake by taking supplements may help you optimize the quality and quantity of your sleep.

One review of three studies in older adults found that magnesium supplementation could help reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep compared to a placebo In another study, supplementing with mg of magnesium and melatonin for 8 weeks significantly improved sleep quality in people with polycystic ovary syndrome However, more research is needed to understand how magnesium supplements could impact sleep when taken alone.

Magnesium has a relaxing effect on the body and brain, which may help improve sleep quality. Though most studies use doses of — mg daily, you should not take more than mg per day unless advised by a healthcare professional.

The lavender plant can be found on almost all continents. It produces purple flowers that, when dried, have a variety of household uses.

In fact, several studies suggest that simply smelling lavender oil shortly before sleep may be enough to improve sleep quality in those with or without insomnia 31 , A small study in older adults with dementia also suggests that lavender aromatherapy is effective at improving sleep disturbance symptoms.

Another study found that lavender aromatherapy improved sleep quality and reduced anxiety after 15 days in 60 people with coronary artery disease Though lavender aromatherapy is considered safe, the oral intake of lavender has been linked to nausea, belching, and diarrhea in some cases.

Essential oils are intended for aromatherapy, not oral ingestion Thus, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made. Lavender aromatherapy may help improve sleep.

More studies on lavender supplements are needed to evaluate their effectiveness and safety. Passionflower , also known as Passiflora incarnata or maypop, is a popular herbal remedy for insomnia.

The species of passionflower linked to sleep improvements are native to North America. However, its effects in humans appear to depend on the form consumed 36 , One older study in humans compared the effects of a passionflower tea with those of a placebo tea made from parsley leaves Participants drank each tea about 1 hour before bed for a period of 1 week, taking a 1-week break between the two teas.

Each tea bag was allowed to steep for 10 minutes, and researchers took objective measurements of sleep quality. At the end of the 3-week study, the objective measurements indicated that participants had not experienced improvements in sleep.

In a recent study of people with insomnia, those who took passionflower extract over a 2-week period saw significant improvements in certain sleep parameters compared with a placebo For now, it seems that passionflower may provide more benefits when consumed as a tea or extract as opposed to a supplement.

Passionflower tea or extract may help slightly improve sleep quality in some individuals. However, the evidence is mixed, and some studies have found no effects.

Thus, more studies are needed. Glycine is an amino acid that plays an important role in the nervous system.

It may also help improve sleep. In one study, participants experiencing poor sleep consumed 3 grams g of glycine or a placebo immediately before bedtime.