Get Rid Of Insomnia With Proper Nutrition

Sleep is important and your body will notice if it’s not getting enough of it. A FitPerez reader named B.D. is facing insomnia and wrote Margaux J. Rathbun for nutritional advice to finally fall asleep again, asking:

Hi Margaux! I think I am becoming an insomniac. I can’t seem to fall asleep at night and when I finally do, I wake up a couple of hours later only to toss and turn for hours. Can you give me some nutrition tips to help with this? Thanks in advance!

According to Margaux:

Thanks for your question and I am sorry to hear that you are having issues with sleeping. Insomnia and sleeping disorders can be caused by a variety of things including anxiety, depression, low blood sugar levels, or caffeine consumption. Fortunately, there are some healing foods that can help you get your beauty sleep.
Eat plenty of foods that are rich in B vitamins (like whole grains, wheat germ, leafy greens). Also be sure you are getting enough calcium and magnesium from foods like broccoli, avocados, nuts, chia seeds, and whole milk yogurt. Basil has sedative properties, which makes it a great food for helping us to sleep. Cherries contain a concentrated source of melatonin, a key ingredient that helps promote sleep. Try eating a handful of organic cherries 20 minutes before going to bed. Avoid drinking too much caffeine (maybe switch to a nice white or herbal tea) and eating foods loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. Some herbs that have been shown to help people get sleepy include lavender, lemon balm, skullcap, and passionflower.
Great question! I hope that helps you out.

For more nutrition tips, be sure to visit Margaux at her website, follow her on twitter @MargauxRathbun and, as always, write us at [email protected]!