Mushrooms. Mushrooms are rich in melatonin, and also contain tryptophan. They're also great sources of protein, fiber, and antioxidants.
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.
Melatonin is a natural hormone that plays an important role in sleep. Foods like pistachios, tart cherries, mushrooms, and tomatoes are good sources of melatonin.
The roots, seeds, leaves, bulbs, and flowers were found to be rich sources of melatonin in most of the plant species examined. The roots of Huang-qin (Scutellaria biacalensis), which belongs to the family Lamiaceae, are an especially rich source of melatonin (7110 ng/g) (Reiter and Tan, 2002).
While romaine lettuce is a powerful sleep aid, so is its healthful companion, kale. Kale and other dark green vegetables are packed to the gills with calcium. Also found in dairy products, calcium makes it easier for the body to make and use melatonin and can help promote a restful night of sleep.
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.
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.
It is important to note that “darkness” stimulates the pineal gland to secrete melatonin whereas exposure to light inhibits this mechanism [12].
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.
Eggs also offer a considerable amount of straight melatonin. These superfoods are one of the highest melatonin-containing animal products. As a melatonin-rich food, eggs can assist with falling asleep and improve your sleep efficiency.
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.
Several of the most popular natural sleep aids include melatonin, GABA, tryptophan, 5-HTP, CBD and THC, valerian root and lavender.
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.
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.
Caffeine blocks melatonin signaling/transmission [20].
Other supplements including magnesium, valerian root, tart cherry, L-theanine, lavender essential oil, and GABA are worth considering as alternatives to melatonin.
“Melatonin levels rise about two hours before bedtime,” Buenaver says. “Create optimal conditions for it to do its job by keeping the lights low before bed. Stop using your computer, smartphone or tablet—the blue and green light from these devices can neutralize melatonin's effects.
In humans melatonin has diurnal variations. The hormone secretion increases soon after the onset of darkness, peaks in the middle of the night, between 2 and 4 a.m., and gradually falls during the second half of the night (figure 3). This circadian rhythm of secretion plays an important role in its hormonal activity.
Melatonin levels can be tested with a blood test, urine test or saliva test. Saliva Sample: The Melatonin Test requires a saliva sample test requires an evening saliva sample which collected in a vial and sent to pathology Laboratory for testing.