5 Natural Sources Of Melatonin To Help You Sleep The Entire Night

Melatonin is a hormone your body produces naturally in response to darkness. Made primarily in the pineal gland, it's the signal that tells your brain it's time to wind down. As the sun sets and light fades, melatonin levels rise, helping you feel sleepy, stay asleep, and wake up feeling rested.

The trouble is that modern life works against this process. Bright screens, artificial lighting, and late nights can all suppress your body's natural melatonin output. That's usually the point where people start eyeing the supplement aisle.

But melatonin supplements aren't always the best long-term fix. They can interfere with your body's own production over time, and getting the dose right is tricky since most over-the-counter options contain far more than your body actually needs.

Walnuts may also offer a subtle sleep-supporting benefit. The nuts naturally contain melatonin along with tryptophan, an amino acid involved in melatonin and serotonin production. In a 2025 randomized crossover trial1 of 76 young adults, eating about 1.4 ounces (40 grams) of walnuts daily for eight weeks increased markers of melatonin production and was associated with shorter time to fall asleep, better overall sleep quality, and less daytime sleepiness.

The findings are promising, but more research is needed to determine exactly how walnuts may influence sleep, and whether the benefits stem primarily from their melatonin content or a combination of their nutrients and bioactive compounds.

Tart cherries may offer another way to support healthy sleep. They naturally contain melatonin and are rich in polyphenols, including anthocyanins, which may help support the body's natural sleep-wake rhythm and recovery processes.

Research on tart cherry juice has found potential benefits for sleep duration and quality, though results are mixed and the amount of tart cherry needed to achieve these benefits can be difficult to get from food alone.

Kiwi might be the most underrated sleep food on this list. It contains both melatonin and serotonin, which each play a part in regulating your sleep-wake cycle.

 One small study found that people who ate two kiwis about an hour before bed for several weeks experienced improvements in both how quickly they fell asleep and how long they slept. 

Salmon and other fatty fish are among the top animal sources of dietary melatonin, but that might not be the only reason the fish supports sleep.

In one randomized controlled trial, eating Atlantic salmon three times a week over several months had a positive effect on sleep and how well people functioned during the day. Researchers pointed to the fish's vitamin D and omega-3 content as the likely drivers, since both appear to play a role in how we sleep. In other words, fatty fish seems to support sleep through a few different pathways at once, not just its melatonin content.

Aim for two to three servings of fatty fish a week. Salmon, sardines, and mackerel are all solid picks, and a salmon dinner a few nights a week does double duty for your sleep and your overall health.

Eggs may also support sleep by providing tryptophan, an essential amino acid the body uses to produce serotonin and melatonin, two compounds involved in regulating sleep and the sleep-wake cycle.