A Snack High In Zinc Can Reduce Anxiety Before Going To Sleep – Health Digest

Around one-third of adults in the United States have dealt (or will eventually deal) with anxiety, per the National Institutes of Health. For some, their anxiety may manifest into sleep problems.

Sleep disorders are frequently named as a symptom of anxiety. In fact, a 2024 survey from the Sleep Foundation showed that 46% of respondents with sleep issues felt that their mental wellbeing was at best poor. Conversely, individuals who don’t get quality sleep are at increased risk of developing poor mental health, potentially triggering anxiety. Indeed, findings from a 2024 study in Sleep Medicine suggest that having sleep problems makes a person 1.9 times more likely to experience anxiety.

What can you do if you’re losing sleep because of anxiety (or vice versa)? An at-home solution could be to eat more zinc before bedtime, since zinc may possess anti-anxiety effects. Lacy Puttuck, a registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching, is well aware of zinc’s calming reputation. Explained Puttuck, “Zinc is involved in keeping the immune system healthy and fighting infections.” She added that thanks to the mineral’s widespread involvement in enzymatic reactions and metabolism, it “is key in maintaining brain and mental health.” Here’s an excellent pick for a zinc-rich nighttime snack: cashews.

Puttuck identified three ways that zinc can both prevent and treat anxiety to improve a person’s quality of life and quality of sleep. The first involves management of response to stressors.

As Puttuck noted, zinc “is highly concentrated in the parts of the brain that control emotions and stress response, like the hippocampus. When [zinc] levels are low, these responses may manifest as anxiety.” Consequently, by incorporating more zinc into your diet, you may find it easier to calm your brain before settling down for the evening. At the same time, you may be able to regulate the neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which Puttuck describes as inhibiting over-excitability. (GABA is known as the neurotransmitter that will instantly improve your sleep.) Zinc may also reduce inflammation within the brain, which Puttock named as a known cause of anxiety. Finally, Puttuck noted that zinc helped in the production of serotonin and dopamine, which are connected to happiness and mental relaxation. 

This trio of advantages has played out in some scientific studies. A 2017 review in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences showed that zinc may play a hand in regulating sleep patterns by way of its benefits to the central nervous system. Another 2024 review published in Health Science Reports found likewise, though evidence across the eight studies that were reviewed showed some contradictory results. (Therefore, you may want to discuss zinc supplementation as part of a broader anxiety treatment plan with your healthcare provider.)

To get the bedtime benefits of zinc, consider a snack that’s loaded with zinc before going to sleep, like the aforementioned cashews. (Many foods fit this category, although some might be too impractical and expensive to eat as a nightcap, like oysters and beef.) An ounce of cashews can provide 1.6 milligrams of zinc. That might not sound like a lot until you realize at you only need 8 to 11 milligrams daily, depending on your gender.

Puttuck’s best advice? Eat about an ounce of cashews (or even cashew butter) alone or with another food, like fruits or vegetables, as your last snack. For variation, try her updated version of a curry cashew dip she saw in The Garlic Diaries. For Puttuck’s version, blend two cups of cashews, one cup of water, two tablespoons of lime juice, two garlic cloves, one tablespoon of curry powder, and a quarter cup of coconut milk in a blender or food processor. Once smooth, it’s perfect as a zinc-heavy spread or dip.

Want an alternative to cashews now and then? Snack on other zinc-rich foods such as an ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds (2.17 milligrams) or a hard-boiled egg (1.05 milligrams) to help reduce your anxiety and get a genuinely good night’s sleep.