If the title of this article made you scratch your head, you’re not alone. In researching foods that help you sleep, this fuzzy, brown powerhouse comes up over and over again. There is so much science-backed research on this little fruit that anyone who wants to sleep better should be stocking up.
Kiwi helps you fall asleep more quickly. In one study, after four weeks of eating two kiwi fruits one hour before bedtime, the amount of time it took people to fall asleep decreased by 35.4%. This meant that the overall time that they were able to sleep each night increased by almost 14%. This can add up to around an hour of extra sleep per night!
Kiwi helps you sleep more soundly. In the same study, people who woke up in the middle of the night remained awake for almost 30% less time. This contributed to participants feeling more rested overall when asked about their experiences in a questionnaire.
Kiwi helps you feel better, in general. Due to its incredibly high levels of both antioxidants and serotonin, kiwi fruit is a great choice for overall wellness. Researchers are just beginning to understand the strong connection between sleep and antioxidant-rich foods and serotonin promotes sleep in many complex ways, one of which involves an interaction with melatonin.
Kiwi is a non-habit forming solution to sleeplessness. Go ahead and do a Google search on “sleep aids”. It doesn’t take long before you’re headed down a rabbit hole of questionable pharmaceuticals. Instead of playing with fire, heading to a fruit stand doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Of course, Kiwi is not the only food that has sleep-supporting benefits.
Kale, soybeans, spinach, and other high calcium foods can help encourage increased levels of melatonin. You can also reach for foods high in magnesium and potassium like bananas, nuts, tomatoes, and whole grains. How about a kiwi-kale-banana smoothie? You might be snoozing by the last sip!
References:
Breus, M. (2013). Kiwi: Super Food for Sleep?. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/sleep-newzzz/201311/kiwi-super-food-sleep
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