These vegetables promote restful sleep
What's the story
Many of us struggle with sleep and end up looking for various remedies to find relief.
Surprisingly, certain vegetables can naturally help you achieve restful sleep.
They are packed with compounds that calm your mind and body, easing them into peaceful slumber.
Including these veggies in your diet could be a simple yet effective way to improve sleep quality without supplements or medications.
Leafy green
Spinach: A natural relaxant
Spinach has a high magnesium content, a mineral famous for its muscle-relaxing properties.
Magnesium helps lower stress and anxiety levels by regulating neurotransmitters in the brain.
Eating spinach regularly can help calm the nervous system, promote relaxation, and improve the overall quality of sleep.
Adding spinach to salads or smoothies is a quick way to take advantage of its natural relaxing effects.
Root vegetable
Sweet potatoes: Sleep-inducing carbohydrates
Sweet potatoes make for an excellent source of complex carbohydrates that can help boost serotonin production in the brain.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is key to regulating mood and inducing relaxation.
Consuming sweet potatoes before bedtime may boost serotonin levels, which can help you fall asleep and sleep longer.
Crisp Green
Lettuce: The sleep-enhancing leaf
Lettuce contains lactucarium, a milky fluid with sedative properties that can promote relaxation and induce sleepiness.
Historically, this compound has been used as a natural remedy for insomnia owing to its calming effects on the nervous system.
So, adding a bit of lettuce to your evening meal might help you unwind after a long day.
Nutrient dense
Kale: A mineral-rich powerhouse
Kale is loaded with calcium, which promotes melatonin production—a hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycles—and potassium, which relaxes muscles while minimizing nighttime cramps or discomforts caused by restless leg syndrome (RLS).
Adding kale to soups or stir-fries could go a long way in getting you better rest at night.
Green veggie
Broccoli: Stress-reducing cruciferous
Broccoli also has high amounts of vitamin C along with folate, both important nutrients that are known to not just boost immunity but also reduce cortisol levels in our bodies, making us feel more relaxed when it's time to hit the hay every night.
Enjoy steamed broccoli with dinner dishes regularly if you want to naturally promote healthy sleeping patterns over time.