logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
7m 53s

5 Foods That Improve Sleep Quality

DR. ERIC BERG
About this episode

In this podcast, I’m going to tell you how to improve your sleep quality for your best, restful sleep. To do this, you need to optimize the hormone melatonin. Boosting melatonin is great for better sleep, but you also want to avoid the things that inhibit melatonin.


If the temperature is 75 or warmer in your room when you sleep, you will have significantly lower melatonin. Keep the temperature between 60 and 69 to optimize melatonin for your best sleep.


Sleeping after consuming a large meal can interfere with your sleep. If you’re doing intermittent fasting, try having your first meal at breakfast and your last meal at lunchtime.


Avoid blue light in the evening because it suppresses melatonin. Try increasing sun exposure during the day, which provides vitamin D and also helps build up melatonin.


EMF waves, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, medications, high-carb diets, and exercise before bed inhibit melatonin. Avoid these things for better sleep.


Try these 5 foods to boost melatonin and improve sleep quality:


1. Tart cherries contain melatonin and tryptophan, which turns into serotonin and then melatonin. Research has shown that tart cherry consumption increases sleep for some people by 84 minutes!


2. Kiwis contain serotonin, a precursor to melatonin. One study found that people who consumed 2 kiwis per day for 4 weeks had a significant improvement in quality of sleep, length of sleep, the time it takes to fall asleep, and the feeling of being refreshed upon waking.


3. Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and trout boost melatonin.

4. Kefir is similar to yogurt but has even more microbes. Try blending it with berries, which are rich in polyphenols for better sleep.


5. Sauerkraut contains microbes and tryptophan to help improve your sleep. Cabbage also increases the neurotransmitter GABA, which helps calm you down.


Focusing on slow breathing through your nose can also improve sleep.


DATA:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21669...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...

Up next
Aug 23
The Dr. Berg Show LIVE - August 22, 2025
Talk to Dr. Berg LIVE ➜ ➜ https://forms.gle/3a3n9arSxwDtqboa7To be considered, click on the link below to fill out the application! If you’d like to join next week’s show, make sure you fill out the application by Tuesday night, the week of the live show. Fill this out to be a pa ... Show More
1h 3m
Aug 22
The #1 Most Ignored Anti-Inflammatory Food in the World
When people think of snake oil, they often think of the snake oil salesman. In the 1800s, people would sell “snake oil” for pain, arthritis, and digestive issues, and developed a bad reputation for peddling products that were fraudulent or didn’t actually work. Clark Stanley is o ... Show More
10m 1s
Aug 18
The Real Cause of Neck Pain (Not Your Spine)
If you’re experiencing unexplained neck pain, shoulder pain, or upper back pain issues, it could be referred pain from your liver or gallbladder. Discover the connection between your gallbladder and shoulder pain. Find out if you’re dealing with referred pain and what to do about ... Show More
6m 40s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2019
HELP US HELP YOU 💖 What type of sounds makes you relax? Give your feedback with a written review bellow. Thank you 🙏🏻
Do you want to mix and customize hundreds of new episodes to your personal need? Reserve your free-trail of our upcoming sleep app here: https://sleepmeditationpodcast.com/app 7 Easy Tips To Help You Sleep Better. If you suffer from frequent restless nights, then you might have t ... Show More
37m 37s
Feb 2025
#957 How To Double Your Fat Burn In 7 Days - Optimize Sleep Routine For Metabolism with Ben Azadi
Did you know that poor sleep can stall fat loss—no matter how perfect your diet and workouts are? Why Sleep is the Master Switch for Metabolism: sleep is more important than diet and exercise when it comes to metabolic health. Think of your metabolism as a symphony—sleep is the c ... Show More
19m 26s
Sep 2024
Do You Want To Sleep Better? Ayurvedic Hacks To Reset Your Sleep Cycle
We all know how it feels to toss and turn, staring at the ceiling, wondering why sleep feels like an impossible dream. On this episode of A Really Good Cry, we're diving deep into the world of sleep—what makes it so essential and why it can be so hard to get. I’ll be sharing some ... Show More
34m 43s
Jun 2019
Passing train sounds for sleep - Requested by Uncle_ang - Tonight's question - What sound make YOU sleep? Leave a comment in the review👇
Tonight's question - What sound make YOU sleep? Leave a comment in the review👇 This sleep sounds episode was requested from Uncle_ang via Apple Podcasts - United States of America · 05/23/19. “Just me but I would love to hear a passing train! I hate the sirens too” Thank you for ... Show More
31m 4s
Aug 2024
Sleepy Thunderstorm: Nature’s Lullaby
📱 Try the Slow, sleep app ⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slow-app.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 😴 Become a premium podcast member and get longer episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleeppodcast/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ... Show More
32 m
Jan 2024
HEAVY RAIN FOR SLEEP | Soothing Rain Sounds To Help You Fall Asleep Fast
📱 Download our sleep app, Slow! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slow-app.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 😴 Become a premium podcast member and get longer episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleeppodcast/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 😴 Spotify Sleep Pla ... Show More
3h 2m
Aug 2024
Soft Thunderstorm for Sleep | Intro from the Slow Sleep App ❤️
📱 Try the Slow, sleep app ⁠⁠⁠here!⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slow-app.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 😴 Become a premium podcast member and get longer episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleeppodcast/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ... Show More
34m 6s
Feb 2024
SNOWFALL WINTER NIGHT | Soothing Snowstorm Sounds for Cozy Sleep
📱 Download our sleep app, Slow! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slow-app.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 😴 Become a premium podcast member and get longer episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleeppodcast/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 😴 Spotify Sleep ... Show More
2h 3m
Aug 2024
Rain Sleep Sounds - Rainy Night Comfort With Music Intro
📱 Try the Slow, sleep app ⁠⁠here!⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://slow-app.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 😴 Become a premium podcast member and get longer episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/sleeppodcast/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 😴 S ... Show More
34m 45s
Sep 2024
TMHS 829 - Do THIS at Night To Get Deeper Sleep & Transform Your Body
Sleep is a critical pillar of human health. Getting a good night of sleep is an important input for your mood, brain health, gut, and so much more. And luckily, learning how to optimize your sleep is simple when you understand the key behaviors that impact your biology. Today you ... Show More
1h 18m