We know it isn’t always easy getting that magical eight quality hours of sleep (though one can only dream).

Regardless of how busy our lives can be, it’s important to do everything we can to get a quality good night’s rest, to function better and build a stronger immune system.

According to Statistics Canada, insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder and affects a large proportion of the population on a situational, recurrent or chronic basis. Feeling well rested and rejuvenated not only makes you feel better, but it allows you to become more productive during the day.

Among the many ways sleep can affect your immune system, cytokines are one of them. They are proteins produced and released during sleep, which aim to target infection and inflammation, giving you a healthier immune system to fight off the common colds and flus. Once you start to lose sleep, your body will not be able to produce those same proteins as frequently as it should. Fun fact: COLD-FX® Daily Support helps to increase production of certain types of cytokines involved in immune response in high performing athletes.

If you’re facing some sleepless nights, maybe it’s time to think about boosting your next grocery list with a few helpful foods as your gateway to quality sleep!

A Handful of Nuts

Go nuts for nuts! Not only are nuts a great source of heart-healthy fats but they also carry a particularly important hormone, known as melatonin. Melatonin is made by the body’s pineal gland and is activated when there is light and darkness. When melatonin levels increase in the blood, this is the time where you start to feel sleepy. Incorporating a handful of nuts to your evening routine could be a beneficial effect on your efforts into having a good night’s rest.

Fruit

If you’re craving sugar at night, you’ll be happy to know that certain fruits may also help you fall asleep faster. Kiwi’s serotonin content helps promote sleep, banana’s tryptophan and magnesium help, and the melatonin from tart cherry juice, rounds up these fruity sleep saviours.

Bedtime Tea

Fancy a cup of tea? Another great way to end off the night is through drinking a cup of tea before bed. Chamomile, ginger or peppermint tea are great options to help ease your way into a nice slumber.

We hope some of these sleep saviours will help guide you on your journey to a quality good night’s sleep.

Sweet dreams!