Struggling to sleep? Kiwi fruit could help you drift off faster

Virgin Radio

4 Apr 2023, 16:00

If you've been struggling to sleep, the secret could be in your fruit bowl.

A new study has found that eating kiwi fruit could be the key.

BedKingdom.co.uk commissioned the study, and a spokesperson says:

"Kiwifruit has been a feature in many people’s bedtime routines for many years, and the science backs up the kiwi’s value as a sleep aid.

"Studies have shown that kiwifruit can help improve sleep quality, sleep timings, and sleep efficiency after a month of regular kiwifruit consumption before sleep.

"Kiwifruit contains high amounts of serotonin and antioxidants, as well as vitamins like folate, a B vitamin, which can help to treat sleep disorders as well as help reset your sleep schedule."

It's no surprise that caffeine can be one of the big issues when it comes to a good night of rest.

The survey also said that all caffeine should be cut out ten hours before bedtime.

This isn't just in coffee either, but soft drinks and energy drinks.

Sticking to a schedule helps, too, they said: "Structure helps a lot in keeping a healthy sleep schedule because it lets your body stay in tune with its circadian rhythm more easily.

"Sticking to a set bedtime and wake-up time will help keep your body in order, as well as help prevent your sleep schedule from drifting away from your ideal timings, which will provide the best opportunities to get seven to nine hours of good quality sleep a night."

"‘It is tempting to try to reset your sleep schedule in one go by going to bed early, or by staying up all night so you are completely exhausted come bedtime the next day

"However, this is probably not the most effective way: a 2005 study by C. Eastman et al. found that adjusting one’s sleep schedule by one hour each day was more effective than larger steps in adjusting sleep schedules; the larger steps provided no benefit over the one-hour adjustment group."

One of the best things you can do is invest in blackout curtains and use a light-up alarm clock in the morning to help your body clock.

If you're looking for further good sleep tips, why not try this and this.