We’ve all been there, getting up in the middle of the night because we can’t sleep and we’re hungry, or just struggling with achieving a good quality of sleep in general. Most people have problems with sleep at some point or another in their lives, and it can be brought on by any number of things. Maybe you got a new noisy neighbour, or perhaps you’re too stressed to let your mind stop wandering through all of the issues that plague you.

No matter the reason, when you can’t sleep, you also can’t heal or feel your best throughout the course of the day, which makes it a top priority problem to solve. Some resort to sleeping pills or cannabis, others put their faith in white noise or calming recordings, and a few get so desperate that they start mixing things to get the job done, but what if we told you that you could gain some control over the situation with what you eat?

If you want to know how to fall asleep fast in as natural of a way as possible, then this is the place for you. The foods that we highlight here offer a unique benefit, and it’s that something inside of them will eventually make you sleepy, a side effect that is helpful when you’re struggling to stay out each night, and all of them will work in conjunction with the naturally sedating effects of cannabis to give you the best possible chance at a good night’s sleep.

1. Lettuce

Lettuce is often viewed as a health food, which leaves many under the impression that it will give them a boost of energy as a side for the hearty dose of nutrients, and that isn’t actually the case at all. Though lettuce can certainly be a great addition to any diet, the watery substance inside is full of lactucin, an element that is comparable to opium in how it works on the brain, leaving you feeling sleepy and relaxed.

2. Turkey

When the holidays come around, we all feel tired most of the time, and we typically chalk that up to how much energy and money we burn through to make the magic happen, but the truth is that it often has a lot more to do with what we ate. Turkey, a staple at the largest and most stressful of holidays, is laden with tryptophan, a chemical that makes you feel tired and sluggish, as you digest your evening meal.

3. Dark chocolate

Milk chocolate isn’t good for you. Everyone knows that as the only thing it’s really good for is a boost of sugar, which is typically followed by a crash soon after, and that is why so many try to indulge more often in the healthier alternative dark chocolate. Luckily, what’s good for you doesn’t necessarily keep you awake, as dark chocolate contains serotonin, which can help you to feel good and relax, making it easier to drift off.

4. Pasta

Pasta is known as a food that is enjoyed by professional athletes, but that is because they need the carbs to keep up to their rigorous workout, as the energy they provide is incredibly short-lived and quickly followed by heavy sedation. In fact, pasta is loaded to the brim with so many carbs that after you’ve finished a plate, you’ll probably feel a little bit sleepy, as your body works to process the new abundance of them.

5. Nuts

Nuts are the perfect healthy snack, after all, they’re filled with protein, contain no sugar, and they have plenty for healthy oils that are great for us, but most people don’t realize that they can make you feel sleepy. The good fats in nuts, in moderation, are stored and processed by the body with ease, but if you consume a large amount of them, your body will have to work hard to digest them all, and that might leave you feeling a little bit drained rather than energized.

6. Tart cherries

Sweet cherries are full of natural sugars that can have you bouncing off the walls full of energy, but their close cousin, the tart cherry, has the opposite effect on people. This tangy and delicious fruit is a powerful and all-natural source for melatonin, a hormone that your body naturally produces when it’s time to go to sleep, and it doesn’t take many at all to leave you feeling hazy, tired, and more than ready for bed.

7. Salmon

When you start to feel sleepy, it’s a result of your brain producing melatonin, but your body uses a vitamin called B6 to make it. Salmon is full of healthy fats that are good for you, but it’s also filled with high concentrations of B6, so it’s not uncommon to finish a plate of this elegant dinner and then almost immediately feel the effects of the fatigue setting in.

8. Bananas

Bananas are the perfect snack to grab when you don’t have the time to prepare something, and they’re generally viewed as an ideal healthy food, but these natural sugar-laden fruits are also filled with just enough magnesium to make you feel sleepy. Magnesium in the body works as a muscle relaxant, and it’s strong enough to leave you glued to your chair or to help you to drift off into a deep slumber.

9. Any red meat

You’ll notice that nothing on this list has quite as much fat as red meat, and that ingredient is a large part of why this meat can help you to sleep. It takes a lot of energy for your body to work through a whole steak, and that eventually leads to fatigue and a food-induced coma. Most will avoid this effect with small portions, but if you can’t sleep, a thick delicious piece of your favorite red meat might help.

10. Red wine

Most would agree that drinking a bit too much of any kind of alcohol can result in a long slumber that is necessary just to get through the adverse effects of a hangover, but if you don’t want to get tipsy, get out a joint and a nice glass of red wine, and let the grapes natural melatonin contents work their magic. If you do, then you’ll be sure to be out for the night in no time.

Strains to combine with these sleepy foods

Now that you know how to fall asleep fast with the help of food, we’re going to arm you with a helpful list of strains that are known for inducing a deep, sleepy haze, as some of the more energizing strains of cannabis might not work quite so well if you’re trying to get some much-needed sleep.

Ingrid
Purple Hashplant
Northern Lights
Chocolate Kush
The Black
Romulan
God’s Gift
Northern Berry
Diamond OG
Gorilla Glue
Purple Kush
Death Bubba
White Kush
Zombie OG
Deep Sleep
Silverback Gorilla
Afghani
Sweet Dreams
Chemo
Money Maker

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