10 festive foods proven to help you sleep better this Christmas

17 December 2021

More than 23 million Brits will be completely and utterly exhausted by the time Christmas arrives, no thanks to festive gatherings, excitable children, and the pressure to get things ready for the big day.

Rosie Millen

Research by Dreams shows 1 in 5 adults will get less than five hours of sleep during the night of Christmas Eve, and 1 in 4 adults will be jumping out of bed on Christmas morning between 4:00 am, and 7:00 am.

It’s no secret that getting a good night’s sleep is crucial over the festive period to avoid burnout and fatigue, so Dreams has partnered with Nutritionist Rosie Millen to reveal the top-10 festive, sleep-inducing foods to help you doze off.

Nutritionist, Rosie Millen, comments: “To ensure you get enough sleep over the festive holidays, making simple tweaks in your diet can really help. Research shows that a variety of festive foods actually contain sleep-promoting properties such as magnesium, tryptophan and antioxidants that will all encourage individuals to drift off more easily and quickly”.

The top 10 festive sleep-inducing foods include: 

1. Turkey. This traditional Christmas meat contains an amino acid called tryptophan which gets converted into melatonin in the body. This is the hormone that tells your body to fall asleep, so don’t wait until Christmas day to crack out the Turkey sandwiches.

1. Brussel sprouts. Ditch the lettuce water and grab yourself a Brussel sprout for an excellent sleep-inducing veggie during the festive season. The classic Christmas side dish is a  surprisingly good source of Magnesium which helps to relax the muscles. It also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, the system responsible for getting you calm and relaxed.

1. Chamomile tea. The perfect night-time drink to sip when you’re home after a festive party. Chamomile tea contains apigenin - an antioxidant that binds to specific receptors in your brain that may promote sleepiness and reduce insomnia. I recommend a cup 30-60 mins before you go to bed.

1. Almonds. Pack your stockings and nibble trays with these delicious festive nuts for a good source of magnesium. Magnesium is a significant muscles relaxant because it dilates blood vessels. It also helps reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is known to interrupt sleep.

1. Porridge. Ever considered porridge after a night-out before your head hits the pillow? It is high in carbs and an excellent source of fibre and has been reported to induce drowsiness when consumed before bed. Additionally, oats are a known source of melatonin, again the hormone that helps us to fall asleep.

1. Cherries. Add some cherries in your Christmas punch on another excellent food source of melatonin - the chemical that controls the body’s internal clock to regulate sleep. During the ten months of the year, when cherries are out of season, dried cherries and cherry juice (especially tart cherry juice, which contains less sugar) are suitable substitutes.

1. Walnuts. Eating a walnut-rich snack an hour or two before Father Christmas comes could help you drift off to sleep more easily. Walnuts are a good source of the amino acid tryptophan. One serving of walnuts (about a handful) contains 318 mg of this beneficial amino acid converted into melatonin.

1. Salmon. Often enjoyed as a tasty Christmas breakfast, this fish contains vitamin B6, which again encourages the production of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness. It is also a good source of Vitamin D, which is essential for sleep. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with disrupted sleep patterns.

1. Figs. Figs are a brilliant festive food, with their bright purple, red and green colours they make the perfect addition to any festive food.  They are another magnesium-enriched food, which really helps with sleep. Figs can help regulate the metabolism and therefore reduce sleep disorders such as insomnia.

1. Dark Chocolate. Dark chocolate, an ingredient used in lots of delicious festive desserts.  It contains minerals that can help regulate sleep, such as calcium, magnesium, and theobromine. It also contains serotonin, which relaxes the body and mind. 

Rosie Millen, Nutritionist, added: “Lots of the festive sleep-inducing foods can easily be incorporated into diets during the festive periods as they are often used in Christmas recipes. Making it an easy tweak to try and get more rest around the lead up to Christmas. As one of the busiest times of the years it’s important we enjoy it and not feel consistently drained due to a lack of sleep”.

Meriç Pekcan-Butcher, Marketing Manager at Dreams, commented: “From speaking to our customers, we know that getting enough shut-eye around the festive period can be difficult. At Dreams, we know sleeping environments can really affect the quality of sleep, which is why it’s essential to ensure you have the right mattress and bed throughout the festive period. As well as choosing the right sleeping environment, we hope these tips provide some helpful insights into the festive foods that can make it easier to get a good night’s rest in the lead up to the big day. Failing that you can always get yourself down to Dreams and we’ll help you find the perfect mattress.”