Kiwi fruit

Kiwifruit may have notable benefits for sleep, according to a discussion between Andrew Huberman and Matthew Walker. Here's a summary of their insights:

1. Sleep Onset and Duration: Research suggests that eating kiwifruit can reduce the time needed to fall asleep and increase total sleep duration. Both human and animal studies support these findings, showing faster sleep onset and longer sleep periods 1 2.

2. Mechanism: The potential sleep-promoting effects of kiwifruit might be linked to its action on the GABA system in the brain. GABA is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter, functioning like a natural sedative by reducing neural activity. Blocking GABA receptors eliminated the sleep benefits of kiwifruit in animal studies, indicating a connection 2.

3. Whole Fruit Consumption: The beneficial effects in studies were observed with the ingestion of whole kiwifruit, including the skin, which may contain significant bioactive compounds 1.

Given these points, including kiwifruit in your diet could be a natural strategy to improve sleep quality.