Nutritionist recommends 6 types of Tryptophan-rich foods to fight anxiety and aid sleep

It's not just drinking warm milk before bed that can improve insomnia. A nutritionist specifically recommends supplementing with 6 foods rich in tryptophan. This amino acid helps produce the "happiness hormone" (serotonin), which can relax the mind, combat anxiety, and promote high-quality sleep.

Nutritionist Yeung Sze-han posted on her Facebook page that after a long holiday, people often feel more tense, anxious, or find themselves tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep. This might be related to a lack of tryptophan in the diet, an amino acid crucial for physical and mental balance. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that the body cannot produce on its own and must be obtained through diet. It has three key functions:

1. Produces the Happiness Hormone (Serotonin): Tryptophan is a vital raw material for the brain to produce serotonin. When serotonin levels are adequate, it helps stabilize mood, relax the mind, and promote feelings of well-being and resilience to stress.
2. Synthesizes the Sleep Hormone (Melatonin): As night falls, serotonin is further converted into melatonin, which regulates the body's circadian rhythm, helps initiate sleep, and improves sleep quality.
3. Maintains Nervous System Health: Some tryptophan can also be converted into niacin (Vitamin B3), which helps maintain the health of the nervous, digestive, and skin systems.

Yeung states that to activate the body's natural happiness hormones, you can increase your intake of the following 6 tryptophan-rich foods in your daily diet:

6 Tryptophan-Rich Foods

• Dairy Products: Milk, yogurt, cheese.
• Legumes and Soy Products: Soybeans, black beans, edamame, tofu, soy milk – also excellent sources of protein and tryptophan for vegetarians.
• Nuts and Seeds: Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts, cashews.
• Fish and Seafood: Tuna, salmon, cod, shrimp.
• Meat and Eggs: Chicken, turkey, lean pork, eggs.
• Whole Grains, Cereals, and Fruits: Bananas, oats, wheat germ.

She specifically reminds us that many people think simply eating lots of high-protein foods will replenish tryptophan. However, eating protein alone is not very efficient at getting tryptophan into the brain because it has to compete with other amino acids for access. The secret to effective tryptophan absorption is to consume it alongside an appropriate amount of healthy carbohydrates, such as bananas, whole-grain bread, or sweet potatoes. 

Carbohydrates stimulate insulin secretion, which helps other amino acids enter muscle cells preferentially, allowing tryptophan to enter the brain more smoothly and efficiently synthesize the hormones for happiness and sleep. 

What is insomnia? According to the Hong Kong Department of Health, insomnia generally refers to insufficient sleep caused by an inability to fall asleep, waking up too early, or intermittent waking. Temporary or sudden insomnia is usually triggered by transient life problems and lasts only a few days or weeks.

Common characteristics of insomnia include:

• Difficulty falling asleep when in bed
• Inability to sleep soundly
• Frequent waking during the night and inability to fall back asleep
• Waking up too early in the morning

According to the World Health Organization, insomnia is defined by:

• Difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, or poor sleep quality
• Sleep problems occurring at least 3 times per week for at least 1 month
• Preoccupation with and worry about the impact of the sleep problems day and night
• The sleep problems causing significant distress and impairing daily life