Nutrition Tips and Supplements for Insomnia

Dietary Changes for a Better Night's Sleep

-- By Becky Hand, Licensed & Registered Dietitian

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Is a good night’s sleep eluding you?
Tossing and turning the whole night through,
Drowsiness, fatigue, a lack of sleep,
There is more help than just counting sheep.

There are many factors that can cause sleep problems, and even more potential solutions. The steps you take to improve your sleeping patterns will be individual, based on the cause of your insomnia and the treatment plan laid out by your health care provider. In addition to the many lifestyle changes that can help you sleep better, the following nutrition tips and supplements may also help improve the quality and quantity of your shut-eye:

Stop eating at least two to three hours before your regular bedtime. If your body is trying to digest food, you won't be able to fully relax, fall asleep or stay asleep.

Limit: fried and fatty foods, refined carbohydrates (such as white rice, breads, pasta, and sugars), and spicy foods (especially if you are prone to heartburn), especially before bedtime. The effects of these foods can interfere with your ability to get a good night's sleep.

Enjoy a light snack approximately two hours before bedtime, as falling and staying asleep can be difficult if you are hungry. A healthy snack can help take the edge off of your hunger and help you sleep through the night. Your snack should contain mostly carbohydrates and a small amount of protein. This combination may help increase the availability of tryptophan (an amino acid that helps induce sleep) to your brain. A few pre-bedtime snack ideas include:

A small bowl of oatmeal
Cereal with low-fat milk
Yogurt with granola sprinkled on top
Half of a bagel topped with peanut butter
A piece of whole wheat bread with one slice of deli turkey
Six whole-grain crackers with one ounce cheese
Sliced apple with one ounce cheese or peanut butter

Avoid alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol may help you to fall asleep quickly, but it can disrupt your normal sleep patterns and leave you feeling un-rested the next morning.

Avoid caffeinated drinks and foods during the afternoon and evening. Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate that can delay your sleep or cause you to wake up during the night. You may want to avoid caffeine entirely and see if your sleep improves.

Limit the consumption of liquids in the evening, to decrease the urge to go to the bathroom during the night.

Along with these lifestyle measures, you may wish to consider a natural sleep aid supplement. Supplements should NEVER be taken together or with other sedative drugs. Discuss the appropriateness of these supplements with your doctor first, as well as dosage and the risk of physical and psychological dependency. The two best-researched, most effective supplemental sleep aids are valerian root and melatonin.

Valerian root (valeriana officinalis) is a sedative herb that has been used for centuries. Several small studies have suggested that valerian helps people fall asleep and stay asleep. It may take up to four weeks (or more) of usage to notice improvements in sleep, and this herb can leave some people feeling "fuzzy" the next morning. A typical dosage of valerian root is 300-600 milligrams of valerian extract in tablet or capsule form, 30 minutes before bedtime. Always discuss valerian root with your doctor before trying it.
Melatonin is a hormone (made in the brain of humans but also produced by animals and plants) that appears to play a critical role in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. So far, the effects of melatonin are complex and poorly-understood, but research shows that it is "possibly effective" in decreasing sleep disturbances caused by jetlag, as well as "likely effective" in easing sleep disorders in blind children and adults, and people with mental retardation, autism, or other central nervous system disorders. There is not enough research to conclude anything about melatonin's effectiveness for other sleep disturbances. Melatonin supplements are available over-the-counter, but always discuss melatonin use with your doctor before trying it.

When it comes to treating insomnia, there is insufficient evidence or limited research to support the following supplements:

Hops
Indian snakeroot
Kava
Lavender
Lemon balm
Passionflower

While nutritional changes and supplements alone are possibilities for curing your insomnia, it's best to take a comprehensive approach. Work with your doctor to find potential underlying causes to your sleeping problems, and create a treatment plan that encompasses lifestyle, diet and exercise changes to help you sleep better.

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About The Author

Becky Hand
Becky is a registered and licensed dietitian with almost 20 years of experience. Through her company, An Ounce of Prevention, she makes nutrition principles practical, easy to apply and fun. See all of Becky's articles.

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Member Comments

FIRECOM

This article comes at a very good time for me. I have never had trouble sleeping in my life until the last few months. I am going to take steps outlined here to see if I can get back to a better sleep pattern. - 3/17/2013 1:14:25 PM
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FISHER011

I'm going to try the Valerian Root - 3/5/2013 8:56:07 PM
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TRANSFORMWE

At the suggestion of his doctor, I use melatonin to help my son with Autism wind down to sleep. It worked wonders at first, but we've had to increase to dose and it's not working as well now.
My own biggest sleep challenge is just getting myself to stop what I'm doing and go to bed! I like my alone time after the kids are asleep, but I pay for it the next day and in general with slower weight loss and increased pain from my fibromyalgia. - 3/5/2013 2:20:06 PM
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PETTIFOR

Great article! Want to share a supplement that has worked wonders for me. Tranquilo was developed by a Neurologist specializing in sleep study, and there are no side affects. I found it at www.zzzallnight.c
om - 5/28/2012 8:32:29 PM
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VPOMYG01

We attended a camp for RAD kids--(reactive attachment disorder) and the director of the camp said that melatonin is produced naturally by the body, and if you take a supplemental dose, that interferes with the natural production of melatonin. Then the body will not produce it any longer. So her comment was basically--don't take melatonin. - 11/6/2011 8:16:07 AM
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JSPEED4

Dried valarian root creates a degree of depression. The tincture does not do this. - 11/5/2011 5:28:13 AM
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HYACINTH_GIRL

I've taken melatonin and valerian at different times, and they are both somewhat helpful for people who have occasional trouble sleeping. It's important to note that none of these are as effective as a prescription sleep aid, but they can help you to relax enough to drift off if you're not too stressed.

I think I should mention that melatonin is NOT recommended for people who have clinical depression, as it may worsen your symptoms. - 8/9/2011 2:00:10 PM
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CHRIS3874

I have used Sleep MD on occaision with success . I prefer not to though - 8/8/2011 8:37:05 PM
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CEEJAY68

I am a horrible insomniac, to the point where I was having fainting spells during the day from being exhausted. Regular sleeping pills made me groggy and dysfunctional in the morning, melatonin gave me horrible nightmares and valerian made me nauseous. But I found this stuff called Alteril that is a mix of melatonin, valerian and tryptophan. It doesn't seem to affect me like the ingredients do individually and I sleep great now. You can get it at CVS, but it's cheaper at Walmart. - 8/8/2011 1:42:15 PM
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SWEETARLO

I recently read a study that said melatonin can be helpful for people with IBS, which is exacerbated by sleep disturbances. I take it sometimes, when I need just a little push into sleep. I don't think it would help with actual insomnia, though. - 8/8/2011 11:05:00 AM
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THEWAYGIRL

Melatonin and allergy meds give me nightmares.
I take Menosense daily (2 morning, 2 night) and before bed take magnesium.
It helps but I still have the nights where I wake up in the middle of the night for an hour or 2. Extra black cohosh that time of the month before bed helps so I don't have night sweats that wake me up.
O the joys of aging, eh? :D - 8/8/2011 9:58:50 AM
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CIRANDELLA

I can fall asleep and stay asleep, but I have rotten nightmares every night. - 8/8/2011 8:54:29 AM
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CMBELISLE

Good information.

I recently learned that a medication I was prescribed can interfere with the body's ability to make it's own melatonin, so checking your medications for side effects that affect sleep is also a good idea. - 7/26/2011 3:39:02 PM
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SMILESRME

Great tips to remember. Thanks - 3/1/2010 12:02:03 AM
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JIBBIE49

Great article. I've learned so much being a SPARKER. - 4/4/2008 11:44:12 PM
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