Getting a good night's sleep is crucial to our health and well-being, but it's not always easy. In fact, according to the CDC, about 1 in 7 adults have trouble falling asleep, and nearly 1 in 5 find it hard to stay asleep. And there are so many factors that can affect sleep, like stress, sleep environment, caffeine, travel, and diet.
If you've ever experienced trouble sleeping, you've probably heard of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the sleep cycle. It's available as a supplement, but it's also naturally found in many foods. But before we get into what melatonin-rich foods might support your sleep, let's get into more detail about what melatonin is.
What Is Melatonin?
Melatonin is naturally produced in the brain and is released as it gets darker outside, making you feel tired. "It's often referred to as the 'sleep hormone' because it plays a key role in signaling to your body that it's time to relax and prepare for sleep," registered dietitian-nutritionist Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, says.
Your body naturally produces a small amount of melatonin each day—less than 1 milligram—and this amount decreases as you age. By the time you reach middle age or so, the level of melatonin in your body can drop to about 30 picograms per milliliter, which is quite low compared to younger people.
Melatonin is primarily known for its role in regulating the circadian rhythm, but it may also have additional benefits. "It may help support a healthy immune system, reduce oxidative stress in the body, and even assist with regulating mood," Manaker says. However, she notes that many of these benefits are still being studied.
How Does Consuming Melatonin In Food Compare To Taking Melatonin Supplements?
While melatonin is naturally produced in the body and also found in some foods, it's also found in supplement form. Many doses start off at 1 mg, with higher doses reaching 5-10 mg, which is much more than the body naturally makes per day.
So, if you're wondering whether consuming melatonin-rich foods is going to make you sleepy like supplements, the answer is: probably not.
"Melatonin from food is gradually released, rather than spiking one's level the way supplements do," registered dietitian Kristen Lorenz, RD, LDN, says, adding that melatonin-rich foods won't "induce instant sleepiness" like supplements can do.
“While they can help improve your sleep quality over time, melatonin-rich foods like tart cherries usually won’t make you instantly drowsy,” Manaker adds. “Instead, they support your body's natural melatonin production in a more subtle way, helping to establish a more consistent sleep pattern.”
How Should You Incorporate Melatonin-Rich Foods In Your Diet?
While foods high in melatonin can be eaten throughout the day to support sleep health, Lorenz recommends adding them to your evening routine. Examples she gives are a mocktail with tart cherry juice after dinner or pistachios as a bedtime snack. "These simple tweaks can help support natural melatonin production," she explains.
What Foods Are High In Melatonin?
Many foods naturally contain melatonin, but Lorenz and Manaker highlight the options below as being especially rich in this hormone. Keep in mind that melatonin levels in foods can vary quite a bit. A comprehensive 2024 review found that factors like the species of the food and the environment where it was grown or raised play a big role in how much melatonin it contains. The melatonin values listed for most of the foods below come from this recent review.
Note: Melatonin content is measured in different ways depending on the food—by weight for solids, by volume for liquids, or by serving size—so you’ll see a variety of units in the list below.
Pistachios
"Pistachios contain more melatonin than most nuts and are also rich in magnesium and B6—cofactors in melatonin synthesis," Lorenz says.
Indeed, pistachios are the true melatonin powerhouse among nuts. According to the review, they contain about 233,000 nanograms (ng) of melatonin per gram of dry weight. To put that in perspective, this is far more melatonin than most other foods—just a small handful can provide a significant boost.
Tart Cherries
Tart cherries are widely known for being a great source of melatonin. Manaker notes that an 8-oz. glass of tart cherry juice concentrate contains about 1.08 mg of melatonin. She cites a 2018 study on the effect of Montmorency tart cherry juice on insomnia, which found that those who drank it twice a day for two weeks not only increased sleep time and sleep efficiency, but also had lower markers of inflammation.
Walnuts
Also high on the list of nuts with melatonin are walnuts, which have about 3.6 nanograms of melatonin per gram. While this is a smaller amount, walnuts still contribute to your overall melatonin intake when eaten regularly. Like pistachios, walnuts are easy to snack on on their own, in trail mixes, or sprinkled over yogurt.
Milk
Having trouble falling asleep? A glass of warm milk is often touted as a sleep aid, but although it didn't induce sleepiness in our test of drinks to help you sleep, it does contain melatonin and tryptophan—an amino acid that helps your body produce melatonin. Regular cow’s milk has a low but measurable amount of melatonin, about 14.45 picograms (pg) per milliliter. Although this amount is much lower than what you’d find in nuts or tart cherry juice, it helps explain why warm milk is often recommended before bed.
Grapes
Grapes are one of the easiest fruits to snack on. The review found that melatonin levels in grapes can range from 0.28 to 3.9 nanograms per gram, depending on the type and growing conditions. Lorenz notes that the highest concentration is found in the skin, so leave those on.
Kiwi
This fruit is known for more than its tart and tangy flavor. The review lists kiwi at about 1.2 nanograms per gram. While not the highest, Lorenz says that kiwi is also rich in serotonin precursors, which may further support sleep.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms, particularly the common white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), are surprisingly rich in melatonin. The review highlights that button mushrooms can contain between 4,300 and 6,400 nanograms per gram—making them one of the top plant-based sources. Mixed in soups and pastas, mushrooms can be a great source of melatonin.
