Are you struggling to fall asleep lately? It’s hardly surprising: the relaxation of holidays has long passed, the pace of work is often intense, seasonal changes are exhausting you, and disrupting your sleep.
However, natural solutions are available to aid you before you consider opting for medication. One particular food item, easily incorporated into your dinner, is known for its sedative properties.
A Few Grams of These Seasonal Seeds…
This food is none other than the pumpkin seed, which you can consume liberally by adding to a soup, a salad, or even into a Greek yogurt to add some crunch. In fact, consuming 10 to 20 grams of pumpkin seeds (about 1 to 2 tablespoons) during the evening meal can help regulate the secretion of melatonin and improve the onset of natural, gentle sleep.
Why Do Pumpkin Seeds Make Us Sleepy?
What causes this effect? Because pumpkin seeds are naturally rich in tryptophanes, an amino acid involved in the synthesis of melatonin, the sleep hormone, as highlighted in a study published in the journal Molecules. Thus, a 30 g serving would contain 0.17 g of tryptophane, which is about 53% of the recommended daily intake.
“Melatonin is an important ‘neurohormone’ with multiple biological effects that include the circadian regulation of sleep,” researchers explain. Typically, melatonin is secreted in a precise rhythm: increasing production in the late evening to aid sleep onset, peaking between 2 and 4 AM, and then decreasing until morning.
However, in some individuals, melatonin secretion is disrupted (by screens, a treatment, etc.). Therefore, consuming pumpkin seeds can positively affect the secretion of melatonin.
How to Consume Pumpkin Seeds
Rest assured, these small green seeds (available in bulk at supermarkets, or in organic stores) do not have a very strong taste, but will add crunch and a subtle flavor to your dishes. You can sprinkle them on your soups and cream soups, your mixed salads, or even your yogurts or cottage cheese.
Other Tips for Falling Asleep Well
We should also remember that certain routines can help you sleep better daily:
- Avoid stimulants in the evening
- Opt for a light meal rather than a heavy, fatty one
- Limit your screen time and ideally stop using them an hour before bedtime
- Keep all your screens in another room and turn off alerts and notifications so as not to be awakened at night. Turn off your devices or put them on silent mode
- Engage in physical exercise during the day to feel tired by evening
- Prioritize relaxing activities (reading, soft music, board games, meditation, etc.) in the evening
- Do not take a hot bath before bed: anything that increases body temperature (hot bath, physical activity, heavy meal) hinders sleep onset
This article first appeared on doctissimo.fr – Author: Magali Régnier
