9 Foods High In Melatonin To Help You Sleep Better

Melatonin is a key hormone involved in sleep and is produced naturally in the brain. Melatonin supplements are a popular way to improve the quality and quantity of your sleep, however there are plenty of melatonin-rich foods that you can add to your diet to do the trick:

1. Milk – milk contains the sleep-supportive compounds melatonin and tryptophan, which act together to improve the sleep cycle. Each glass of milk provides 106mg of tryptophan and is one of the best dietary sources of melatonin.

2. Tart cherries – tart cherries are high in anti-inflammatory compounds as well as melatonin and have the ability to alleviate arthritis pain, improve heart health and aid sleep.

3. Pistachios – as well as melatonin, pistachios also contain fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and antioxidants.

4. Grapes – Grapes and goji berries are both high in melatonin and also have anti-aging properties and rich antioxidant content.

5. Mushrooms – Mushrooms contain both tryptophan and melatonin making them a great dinner to promote sleep.

6. Corn – adding corn to your dinner plate may also help to regulate your sleep cycle with its high melatonin content.

7. Oats – one cup of whole grain oats contains 94mg of typtophan, which is equal to 33% of the recommended daily intake for a 70kg person.

8. Eggs – as well as a great source of protein, eggs contain other vital nutrients such as vitamin D, folate, selenium and riboflavin. They can also promote sleep due to their high melatonin and tryptophan content.

9. Rice – rice not only contains melatonin and tryptophan, but its high carbohydrate content has been found to improve sleep and reduce oxidative stress.