Foods With Melatonin | Fall Asleep Faster

I think it would be safe to say that everyone at some point has had or is having trouble sleeping. Sometimes the best solution is to take something right before bed to speed up the process. A very popular supplement to help with better sleep is called Melatonin. You can also eat some foods with Melatonin to help with sleep.

Why not try experimenting with the ones with the highest Melatonin levels and see if that works? Or even possibly a drink like tart cherry juice.  If you want to know which foods and drinks are the highest, keep reading!

WHAT IS MELATONIN

Let’s first start with the pineal gland in your brain to give you a better idea. Right in the middle of the brain is where you can find it, which is about the size of a pea. So next time someone calls you a “pea brain” then you can be creative and say. Oh, you must be talking about my Pineal gland.

Anywho, the pineal glands’ main purpose is to gather information about the dark and light cycles of the environment.

During the dark cycle, the Pineal gland produces melatonin.  The Pineal will release high levels at night/dark and low levels during the day/light environment. Basically, the main function of Melatonin is to regulate restful sleep.

The sleep-wake cycle is affected by all this and is very important for healthy sleep.

You can also purchase it in supplement form. I will recommend a really high-quality one below that is extremely cheap and effective for sleep quality.

WHAT ARE THE BEST MELATONIN SUPPLEMENTS

You really don’t have to overcomplicate this. Melatonin is melatonin, and there is no far superior form. Although melatonin supplements can be taken in different forms.

Please make sure you choose melatonin supplements that have been third-party testy for purity. I will list a few different types of supplements high in melatonin I recommend.

1. Gummy form: For the price, you really can’t beat these Vitafusion Max Strength melatonin gummies. They have a delicious natural strawberry flavor and no artificial flavors. For just around $11.00 you have enough of a supply for almost two months to help with better sleep.
2. Melatonin liquid form: This is a great option to travel with because it does not take up too much space. All you have to do is take four droppers before bedtime. Natrol liquid melatonin will last you around one month for $9.00.
3. Melatonin tablet form: Probably the most common way taken and extremely affordable. You can find some that are very high in melatonin. The one I use and recommend is NOW Supplements melatonin because of its purity and price.  For under $10 this will last you around three months. I noticed much better sleep once I started taking these.
4. Powder form Melatonin: This company gives you the option to buy in l large amounts of powder form. If you want to make sure your cabinet is extremely high in melatonin, then give Bulk Supplements melatonin a try. 

FOODS WITH MELATONIN

Just over one-third of the American population has insomnia, and I have definitely been one of that third. In my experience and trying several different supplements and foods.

There isn’t a specific cure but some things you can tweak and incorporate into your diet help. Melatonin is produced naturally in the body, so please do not be scared of eating foods high in melatonin.

To give you an idea of the amount these foods have, I will break down the first cherries. One gram of Cherries contains about 13 nanograms of Melatonin.

This may sound like a lot until I explain how much a nonogram is. One nanogram is equal to .000000000001 grams or one-millionth of a milligram.

Such a small amount would seem insignificant. Although there are trials suggesting tart cherry juice does help with sleep quality.

Cherries: A Cherry study in 2018  with 11 different people found that cherry juice increased sleep time and sleep efficiency.

Try having a glass of cherry juice before you go to bed and see how you feel.

This may help reduce your insomnia. Look for tart cherries and specifically ones called Montmorency cherries. They are higher in melatonin than regular cherries.

 

Nuts & Seeds: Pistachios are the densest of this group. In 2019 there was a study done at Louisiana state university.

They partnered with American pistachio growers.

They found that pistachios had much higher melatonin levels than most fruits and vegetables. The total amount was 660 nanograms per gram. (1)

 

Fish: Your best bet is to find some really oily fish. In general, you will be getting more Melatonin from fish than from meat.

Even though I said oily fish is your best bet. I would suggest trying Tuna and Halibut because they are also high in tryptophan.

 

Eggs: Of all the animal products, these are quite possibly your best source. Egg whites not only have melatonin but are also rich in tryptophan.

Most people know tryptophan from Turkey can make you tired.

 

Rice: Yes, I know. Rice to help promote sleep sounds pretty wacko. Just keep in mind not all rice has the same levels.

For example, red rice will offer your more Melatonin than other rice.

Another great option would be pigmented rice.

Keep in mind these are considered high in melatonin but compared to supplement form, it’s really not much.

 

DOES SLEEP QUALITY REALLY IMPROVE WITH MELATONIN

From my personal experience, I didn’t notice much of a difference in the melatonin-rich foods I tried.  However, I noticed my sleep quality improved from the supplement form.

The first time I started taking the melatonin, I noticed a better night’s sleep, and my sleep cycles were pretty consistent. The tablets seemed to improve my sleep, and my sleep problems went away.  One thing I will say, that I have heard the same from clients and friends who have prescription sleep aids.

You will build a tolerance pretty quickly and have to increase the dosage. I didn’t like this part because I started to take heavy doses and felt very groggy sometimes.  Yes, I was able to fall asleep quickly and very deep sleep but waking up was tough.

HOW MUCH MELATONIN FOR RESTFUL SLEEP

Suppose this is your first time taking the supplement. I would recommend starting with a lower dose to see what it does. So let’s say a good starting point would be around 1 mg for a good night’s rest.

Take this about 1 hour before bed and go from there about how you feel. 1 to 2 hours before bed is a good time because this is when your brain naturally increases melatonin production.

Some supplements have an official recommendation, but melatonin is not one. You will most likely see over-the-counter supplements in 1, 3, or 5 mg doses. So you can always break it in half or thirds.

In my personal experience, the 1 mg dose didn’t do much for me. So I gradually increased my doses until I found that sweet spot.  Remember that just like anything you take, your body gets used to it. So your tolerance will go up with melatonin.

My advice is to take it when you feel you need it, not 365 days a year. If you spread it out, then your body will not get so used to it. I also wrote a separate article on this not to do before bed. If you want to read it, you can find it here How to get deep sleep.

WHAT ABOUT A MELATONIN DRINK LIKE TART CHERRY JUICE

Believe it or not, Coffee is very high in Melatonin. I know, coffee before bed. That doesn’t seem to make much sense.

The only coffee before bed that would make some sense is decaffeinated. The reason for this is the caffeine amounts in coffee basically offset the melatonin benefits.

As I mentioned above, a good choice would be some cherry juice. In 2011 there was a Cherry Juice Study done with 20 volunteers over a one-week period. The volunteers drank the cherry juice for seven straight days.  The results showed total melatonin content was elevated significantly.

Years ago, when I was working on a cruise ship, I remember a nightly request from a passenger. He wanted a glass of warm milk right before bed. He may have already known this, or just been part of his nightly routine.

Milk contains tryptophan which is known to increase serotonin levels.  From this, melatonin levels are then increased. So why not give a warm glass of milk a try before bed?

 

FAQ’s

Q: Can you take melatonin while pregnant?

A: It’s best to talk with your doctor first. There isn’t enough research yet to determine if it’s safe to take while pregnant. However, I wouldn’t shy away from foods with melatonin because the amount is meager.

 

Q: Is Melatonin safe for kids?

A: Smaller doses and generally under 5mg have shown no side effects. If so, they are very mild. So the positives may outweigh the negatives in some cases. Especially if you have one of those restless kids that don’t want to fall asleep.

 

Q: Are there benefits of melatonin for the skin?

A: Yes. Your skin is exposed to Ultraviolet (UV). The invisible light that reaches the earth from the sun. This can result in damage or even as bad as cancer. To keep this neutralized, your body makes antioxidants.  Melatonin helps stimulate these antioxidants, which is a great benefit for the skin.

 

Q: Can you take melatonin with alcohol?

A: Alcohol is 1 of the things I mentioned in the other article I wrote about getting deep sleep. It would be best if you were not taking it with alcohol because alcohol can disrupt your sleep. In addition, the natural levels of melatonin your body is making can also be affected.

 

FINAL WORD

Sleep is a crucial factor in your health, and it’s recommended you get around 7-9 nightly. So if you are having trouble getting those 7, I would recommend giving some foods with melatonin a try as you can see above with some of the foods.

However, the levels naturally are shallow and may not do much for you. I have seen some friends take it so regularly that it doesn’t seem to do much anymore for them.

For this reason, I would suggest taking it if you know you have a big day at work and will be up stressed about it. Or if you have to wake up early for something that may require a good night’s sleep.

The melatonin supplement I recommended by Now Foods Melatonin is very high quality and extremely cheap. One of my goals for this website is to find quality products at affordable prices.

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“I think sleeping was my problem in school. If school had started at four in the afternoon. I’d be a college graduate today.”

–George Foreman, Former Professional Boxer