When we don’t sleep, everything goes wrong, even our body. Insomnia can reduce our quality of life, in addition to endangering our health because when our sleep clock goes off, the same thing happens to our body. However, it is in our own body where we can find the best allies against insomnia, as is the case with melatonin.
What is melatonin
- Melatonin is the hormone that regulates the sleep cycle. It is, therefore, a substance that our own body produces, especially at night. During the day, we do not secrete melatonin, thus being able to stay awake. Similarly, melatonin production decreases with age, which is why older people need less sleep.
- In principle, we secrete this melatonin substance depending on the darkness, so the lack of light or visual stimuli is one of the essential requirements of the ideal bedroom to sleep well. Melatonin, in addition to its role as a sleep regulator, is an antioxidant, cell regenerator, and anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and seems to help preserve memory.
- Undoubtedly, we are dealing with a necessary substance to maintain our quality of life. When we suffer from insomnia, when we cannot sleep, that melatonin production is paralyzed and is one of the reasons for so many health problems derived from sleep disorders. Being clear that we need melatonin to sleep and live, the question is, how do we produce it and where do we find it?
How to produce melatonin
- Like any substance that our body produces endogenously, food is going to be a key factor when it comes to secreting melatonin. It must also be taken into account that melatonin needs tryptophan for its production, an amino acid that we know to be the regulator of mood. And it is that insomnia and emotional disorders go hand in hand in the same way as tryptophan and melatonin.
- Foods that contain or help us produce melatonin are dairy products, for example. Hence the famous grandmother’s remedy so effective of milk with honey before bed. Among meats, turkey is the one that can most favor the production of melatonin and, to a lesser extent, chicken. For this reason, a light turkey-based dinner is the best option to combat insomnia.
- Fruits and vegetables are also a great source of melatonin, as are grains and nuts. Among the vegetables, green leafy ones, tomatoes and onions stand out. While the fruits that most promote restful sleep are apples, cherries and bananas.
