Eggs and fish are higher melatonin-containing food groups in animal foods, whereas in plant foods, nuts are with the highest content of melatonin. Some kinds of mushrooms, cereals and germinated legumes or seeds are also good dietary sources of melatonin.
Cherries
Cherries (especially sour cherries like the Montmorency variety) are one of the only (and highest) natural food sources of melatonin.
Several of the most popular natural sleep aids include melatonin, GABA, tryptophan, 5-HTP, CBD and THC, valerian root and lavender.
Cherries. Cherries and cherry juice contain high levels of melatonin, a hormone in the brain that controls your sleep regulation. One study even shows that drinking tart cherry juice could improve sleep in people who suffer from insomnia.
Bananas are an amazingly healthy fruit. Bananas contain melatonin, tryptophan, vitamin B6, and magnesium, which are all great for producing serotonin and helping you sleep. Bananas are another “good” carb that can not only help you sleep, but feel more alert during the day.
Although a cup of coffee is estimated to contain even as much as 40 µg of melatonin, corresponding the nocturnal endogenous production, the general effect in the circulating melatonin concentration may differ, since coffee contains caffeine which may reduce endogenous nocturnal melatonin levels.
Melatonin secretion decreases during aging. Reduced melatonin levels are also observed in various diseases, such as types of dementia, some mood disorders, severe pain, cancer, and diabetes type 2. Melatonin dysfunction is frequently related to deviations in amplitudes, phasing, and coupling of circadian rhythms.
The synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness, melatonin is the "chemical expression of darkness" and inhibited by light [4]. Photic information from the retina is transmitted to the pineal gland through the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SCN) and the sympathetic nervous system [5].
Darkness prompts the pineal gland to start producing melatonin while light causes that production to stop. As a result, melatonin helps regulate the circadian rhythm and synchronize the sleep-wake cycle with night and day.
Melatonin levels increase in the evening when it gets dark outside. The brain senses darkness, which signals a message to produce more melatonin. Light exposure may slow or stop the production.
Fish is a better source of melatonin than other meats. The best options are oily fish like salmon and sardines, which also provide valuable omega-3 fatty acids. Most nuts have a good amount of melatonin. Pistachios and almonds are among the highest.
Chocolate also contains tryptophan, which stimulates serotonin and melatonin. And serotonin and melatonin are believed to help sleep.
If someone takes too much melatonin, he or she might experience sleepiness, headache, nausea, and perhaps even agitation. There is no antidote for melatonin overdose, and significant toxicity is not expected to occur even after consumption of relatively large doses of it.
Doses between 1 and 5 milligrams (mg) may cause seizures or other complications for young children. In adults, the standard dose used in studies ranges between 1 and 10 mg, although there isn't currently a definitive “best” dosage. It's believed doses in the range of 30 mg may be harmful.
Best fruit for melatonin: pineapple
Pineapples have been found to more than double melatonin levels in the body. One pineapple also contains 50 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6 and 27 percent of the recommended daily intake of magnesium.
Not only can magnesium help you get to sleep, but it plays a part in helping you achieve deep and restful sleep as well. In one study, older adults were given 500 mg of magnesium or a placebo. Overall, the magnesium group had better quality of sleep.
Green, leafy vegetables, pumpkin seeds, edamame, bananas, avocados, beans, and nuts and seeds are all foods rich in magnesium, which helps muscles relax and induces a sleepy state, Mehta said. A lack of magnesium can cause restless leg syndrome and muscle spasms. Certain foods contain an amino acid called tryptophan.
Results from multiple studies indicate that valerian — a tall, flowering grassland plant — may reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and help you sleep better. Of the many valerian species, only the carefully processed roots of the Valeriana officinalis have been widely studied.