{"id":25372,"date":"2019-08-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/best-fruits-for-sleep\/"},"modified":"2023-04-20T19:44:34","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T19:44:34","slug":"best-fruits-for-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/best-fruits-for-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Summer Fruits That Help You Sleep Better"},"content":{"rendered":"

With so many fruits in season right now, it’s the perfect time of year to get your fix. Beyond making for a delicious, refreshing snack on a hot day, certain fruits can also help you sleep better. So load up your plate with the following fruits\u2014the United States Department of Agriculture recommends adult women eat one and a half cups of fruit per day and men eat two cups per day<\/a>\u2014and enjoy better sleep while you’re at it.<\/p>\n

Kiwi fruit<\/h2>\n

This fuzzy green fruit is high in vitamin C<\/strong>, a nutrient essential for healthy sleep, as well as antioxidants<\/strong>, which protect cells against the harmful effects of free radicals (molecules that may play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other diseases). A study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that consuming kiwi fruit improved sleep quality in adults with sleep disturbances<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Avocado<\/h2>\n

Keep the guacamole coming for a good night’s sleep. Avocados are full of potassium<\/strong>, another nutrient that can help you sleep. A 1991 study published in the journal Sleep demonstrated that sleep quality was associated with potassium intake<\/a>. Avocados are also high in fiber<\/strong>, a key nutrient for sleep. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, people who ate a diet low in fiber experienced lighter, less<\/a> restorative sleep<\/a>, while those who ate a high-fiber diet enjoyed deeper, more restorative sleep.<\/p>\n

Related: The 10 worst foods to eat before bed<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Watermelon<\/h2>\n

Whether you pack watermelon slices for your next picnic or mix it with feta and mint<\/a> for a cool side dish at your next BBQ, this quintessential summer fruit can lead to better sleep. That’s because it contains lycopene<\/strong>, a powerful antioxidant that has been associated with less difficulty falling asleep<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tomato<\/h2>\n

Like watermelon, tomatoes are chock full of lycopene<\/strong>\u2014they also contain sleep-friendly vitamin C<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Related: Guide to Sleep and Nutrition<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Tart cherries<\/h2>\n

Researchers have found a positive correlation between improved sleep and tart cherry juice consumption<\/a>. Why? Tart cherries are rich in melatonin<\/strong><\/a>, a hormone produced by the pineal gland that helps regulate your body clock.<\/p>\n

Strawberries<\/h2>\n

Head to your local farmer’s market this weekend and stock up on strawberries if you’re having trouble sleeping. The vitamin C<\/strong> and melatonin<\/strong> in strawberries both promote healthy sleep. Plus, according to the National Sleep Foundation, the antioxidants<\/strong> in strawberries can help counteract the oxidative stress caused by sleep disorders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Related: 5 drinks that help you sleep better<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pineapple<\/h2>\n

Consider using pineapple for more than just a garnish for your favorite tropical cocktail. A study published in the Journal of Pineal Research<\/em> found that pineapple juice significantly increased participants’ melatonin<\/strong> levels<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Figs<\/h2>\n

This summer favorite from the Mediterranean is high in iron<\/strong>, another nutrient that plays a role in how well you snooze. Iron deficiency has been linked to Restless Legs Syndrome<\/a>, a condition that causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs and an urge to move the legs when falling asleep.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to our regular series with certified sleep educator Terry Cralle, MS, RN. In this post, Cralle shares the best fruits for sleep.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105,"featured_media":25373,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[389,396],"tags":[],"coauthors":[450],"guest":[],"host":[],"class_list":["post-25372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sleep-health","category-sleep-food"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/105"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25372"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25372\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25372"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=25372"},{"taxonomy":"guest","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guest?post=25372"},{"taxonomy":"host","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/host?post=25372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}