Best Foods for Sleep: What to Eat (and Avoid) for Better Rest

SEO Targets

• Primary: “best foods for sleep”
• Secondary: “foods that help you sleep”, “what to eat for better sleep”, “sleep nutrition”
• Long-tail: “tryptophan foods for sleep”, “magnesium for sleep”, “tart cherry juice sleep”

Content Summary

• Tryptophan pathway explained: food → serotonin → melatonin
• Magnesium’s 4 mechanisms for sleep (GABA, melatonin synthesis, cortisol, muscle relaxation)
• Evidence-backed foods: kiwi, tart cherry juice, fatty fish, walnuts/pistachios, glycine/bone broth
• Meal timing framework (3-4 hrs before bed for dinner, 1 hr for targeted snacks)
• Foods to avoid: caffeine (even 6 hrs out), alcohol, spicy foods, heavy meals
• 5 myths debunked: turkey, warm milk, nightcap, never eat before bed, melatonin supplements
• Practical eating pattern framework

Cross-Links

• Links to: sleep anchor article, nutrition anchor article, stress eating article
• Assessment funnel CTA embedded in final section

Article Status

• [x] Written and added to articles.ts
• [ ] Reddit distribution posts drafted
• [ ] Verify renders correctly on live site