Best and Worst Foods for Sleep

Cherries

Best

Cherries are one of the few natural foods to contain melatonin, the chemical that helps control our body’s internal clock, says Keri Gans, a registered dietician in New York City and author ofThe Small Change Diet.

One study—albeit a small one—found that drinking tart cherry juice resulted in small improvements in sleep duration and quality in adults who suffered from chronic insomnia. (And travelers often take melatonin capsules to combat jet lag).

Why not a few cherries, tart or otherwise, to promote sleep?