Eating kiwi fruit before bed may help you fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep, according to specialists at BedKingdom.co.uk. The fruit contains high amounts of serotonin and antioxidants, as well as vitamins like folate and B vitamins, which can help treat sleep disorders and reset your sleep schedule.
How Kiwi Helps You Sleep
BedKingdom.co.uk explained that kiwi fruit has been a feature in many people's bedtime routines for many years, and the science backs up its value as a sleep aid. Studies have shown that kiwi fruit can help improve sleep quality, sleep timings, and sleep efficiency after a month of regular consumption before sleep.
Experts also advise against consuming caffeine too late in the day, as it can take up to 10 hours to leave the bloodstream completely, meaning it can disrupt a good night's sleep.
Exercise Timing Matters
If you tend to exercise in the evening, it may be worth reconsidering your routine, as research suggests that morning workouts yield the greatest benefits. A 2015 study by Yamanaka et al. found that vigorous exercise before bed disrupts the body's natural rhythm and makes it harder to get to sleep.
The study found that rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was decreased by 10.5 per cent in people who performed intensive exercise before bed. REM sleep is important because it is the time when your brain consolidates memories and when you dream most vividly.
The same study found that sleep quality was improved when intensive exercise was done in the morning. Therefore, it is best to avoid intensive exercise in the run-up to bedtime, ideally moving the exercise session earlier in the day.
NHS Sleep Advice
According to NHS advice, most healthy adults need around seven to nine hours of sleep every night, although the exact amount can differ for each person. Sleep problems can take time to improve, but small changes can help, such as maintaining a regular routine, making your bedroom more comfortable, avoiding caffeine late in the day, and putting your phone away before bed.
