6 Dinners Scientifically Proven to Help You Get a Better Night's Sleep

A2003 study at the University of Texas Health Science Centerfound that eating walnuts naturally increases the levels of melatonin in the bloodstream. (Melatonin, of course, is a sleep hormone that helps regulate your internal body clock.) Toss in some zoodles and capers and we’re sold.

Tuna and other fish like salmon and halibut are good sources of vitamin B6, which the body needs in order to produce melatonin and serotonin. Pera study at the University of Helsinki, vitamin B6, ingested either alone or in combination with zinc, increased plasma melatonin. This ultra-nourishing bowl will definitely do the trick.

A study in theArchives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine Journalcompared the effects of honey with a cough medicine on the sleep quality of children with upper respiratory infections. Honey, which allows tryptophan to enter the brain more easily, measured significantly better in terms of improving sleep quality. Plus, it tastes pretty darn great.

Dark, leafy greens like kale, spinach and mustard greens are great sources of magnesium. And great news: according to this study from theJournal of Research in Medical Sciences, magnesium improved subjective measures of insomnia like sleep efficiency, sleep time and early morning awakening. Seriously, is there anything kale can’t do?

A 2012 study at诺森布里亚大学的生命科学学院found that tart cherries increase melatonin levels, which might help increase the duration and quality of the sleep you get every night. Note that maraschino cherries will not produce a similar effect. (So that hot fudge sundae isn’t going to guarantee a better night’s sleep, sorry.)

You’re probably thinking we chose this recipe because of the turkey (and all those stories about the tryptophan in turkey making you sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner). But that whole thing is kind of a myth: Turkeydoescontain tryptophan but in similar levels to other animal proteins. This recipe should aid in a good night’s sleep because of the sauce. Tzatziki contains Greek yogurt, which, like cheese and milk, is a great source of calcium. A study in theInternational Journal of Biomedical Sciencesconcluded that disturbances in sleep are sometimes related to a calcium deficiency, adding another pro to this delicious and healthy meal.