If you’ve been struggling to fall asleep, waking up in the night, or starting your day in a fog, your sleep hygiene might not be the problem, your nutrition might be.

The Melatonin Cascade

Melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep–wake cycle, isn’t made out of thin air. It’s synthesizsd from serotonin, which is itself derived from the amino acid tryptophan. But to make that conversion, your body needs nutritional co-factors, including:

Magnesium
Vitamin B6
Folate
Zinc

If you’re low in these nutrients, melatonin production can stall, imparing sleep onset

There’s also a transport issue: tryptophan competes with other amino acids to cross the blood-brain barrier. A small serving of complex carbohydrates at dinner (like lentils, quinoa, or sweet potatoes) helps tryptophan make the journey.

There are also associations between vitamin D status and sleep disorders in both adults and children, as well as blood glucose and sleep fragmentation.

To learn more about the links between nutrition and sleep tune in to this week’s podcast.