In today’s stressful and busy world, sleep is a precious commodity. A mind deprived of sleep is weak, unable to focus and slow, as compared to one with a decent night’s sleep.
Some people start snoozing as soon as they hit the bed. However, for others, things aren’t that easy. A lot of people have trouble falling asleep once they get in bed. They keep on lying awake in bed staring at the ceiling or trying to count sheep, but they just can’t seem to get their mind and body to relax and fall asleep.
An estimated 40-50% of the entire population suffers from insomnia. Chronic insomnia can result in anxiety, depression, sluggishness and panic attacks. Common remedies for insomnia are sedatives prescribed by a doctor or a psychiatrist, but Mother Nature has some tricks up her sleeve for curing insomnia – some that work better than commonly prescribed medications.
If you are having trouble falling asleep, try including the following fruits in your diet to help you catch up on your sleep.
5 Sleep Inducing Fruits
Tart Cherries
Tart cherries are very effective for bringing about a good night’s sleep. Tart cherries increase the production of melatonin in the body. Melatonin is a hormone that is responsible for the regulation of the body’s sleep-wake cycle. It is also responsible for the regulation of the body’s internal clock. A study conducted in 2014 found that drinking tart cherry juice twice a day, for a period of two weeks, had resulted in an improved sleep time of 90 minutes in adult insomniac patients. Tart cherries improve the quality and the duration of sleep.
Grapes
Grapes are the only known fruit to actually contain melatonin itself. Melatonin is a sleep regulating hormone and a wonderful sleeping aid. If grapes are eaten in a large quantity before bed time, they help promote a sleep without disruptions. Aside from their profound effect on sleep efficiency, grapes are also a source of anthocyanin and resveratrol. Both of these are immune system supporting antioxidants.
Bananas
Bananas contain tryptophan, and tryptophan is used by the body to produce 5-HTP. Melatonin and serotonin are in turn, produced by the compound 5-HTP. Melatonin is a sleep inducing and regulating hormone while serotonin helps regulate mood. Both contribute a great deal to improve the efficiency and quality of sleep. Bananas also contain potassium, which helps promote non-disruptive sleep throughout the night.
Apples
Apples contain a lot of sleep inducing vitamins and polyphenol antioxidants. Vitamin C and Vitamin B6 present in apples help regulate your breathing, control blood pressure, help your body relax, and reduce stress while you sleep. Vitamin B16 also helps release serotonin, which is a hormone responsible for mood elevation. A blood sugar regulating polyphenol called phlorizin also keeps the sugar level in your blood in control while you snooze.
Passion Fruit
Passion fruit is rich in harman and alkaloids. Harman is a natural sedative and it also helps lower your blood pressure. The passion fruit flower contains a mild sedating agent and has been used for treating respiratory disorders and other diseases in the past. It is also rich in iron and potassium. In other words, passion fruit is another known effective remedy for insomnia.
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