Japanese Foods to Improve Sleep Quality: Tryptophan, GABA and Glycine Guide
Struggling to sleep in Ho Chi Minh City? Explore Japanese foods rich in tryptophan, GABA and glycine that may help you sleep better.
Written by Farmi Editorial Team
Farmi Editorial Team
Japanese Foods to Improve Sleep Quality: Tryptophan, GABA and Glycine from Food
Living in Ho Chi Minh City, many people feel they "sleep worse than when they were in Japan." Time zone differences, climate, work stress, and overly cold air conditioning: multiple factors combine to easily reduce sleep quality.
Japanese foods for sleep improvement: tryptophan, GABA, and glycine are sleep-related compounds gaining attention. Many are naturally found in familiar Japanese ingredients.
The bottom line: consciously incorporating banana, chicken breast, milk (or soy milk), miso, shrimp, and natto into dinner or a bedtime snack is a fundamental dietary approach to improving sleep quality.
*Medical disclaimer:** This article provides general nutrition information. It does not replace diagnosis or treatment of sleep disorders. If you have chronic insomnia, please consult a doctor.
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Understanding why you cannot sleep well in Ho Chi Minh City
Before trying dietary approaches, let us understand why sleep quality tends to decline in Ho Chi Minh City.
1. Air conditioning use: air conditioning is essential year-round in Ho Chi Minh City, but too-low temperatures can interfere with thermoregulation and lead to light sleep. A bedroom temperature around 25 to 27 degrees Celsius is one guideline.
2. Strong sunlight and circadian rhythm disruption: near the equator, Ho Chi Minh City has less seasonal daylight variation than Japan. Some people feel their circadian rhythm becomes disrupted.
3. Mental stress: environmental changes from work assignments, language barriers, separation from family: these psychological burdens also affect sleep.
4. Caffeine and alcohol intake: increased coffee consumption due to heat or evening alcohol can reduce sleep quality.
Dietary changes do not address all factors, but supplementing the body's internal materials for sleep hormone (melatonin) production may support natural sleep.
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3 sleep-related nutrients and their food sources
Tryptophan: the raw material for sleep hormones
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that converts to serotonin (a neurotransmitter related to wellbeing) and then to melatonin (a sleep-promoting hormone). Consume tryptophan during the day, and melatonin is naturally produced when darkness falls at night.
Japanese foods rich in tryptophan:
| Ingredient | Easy ways to incorporate |
|---|---|
| Chicken breast | Steamed chicken, chicken salad, hot pot |
| Banana | As is, smoothies |
| Milk or soy milk | Warm before bed |
| Natto | Breakfast, over rice |
| Sesame | Topping for dressed dishes |
| Eggs | Onsen egg, raw egg on rice |
Note: Tryptophan combined with vitamin B6 increases conversion efficiency. Chicken breast is rich in both, making it a two-in-one ingredient.
GABA: the relaxation-promoting amino acid
GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain involved in relaxation and calming effects. Whether dietary GABA directly reaches the brain is scientifically debated, but some studies suggest that GABA-containing foods may influence sleep-related indicators.
Japanese foods containing GABA:
- Miso (aged type): GABA is produced during fermentation. Red miso and long-aged miso tend to contain more
- Brown rice and germinated brown rice: higher GABA content than white rice, and germination increases it further
- Nukazuke pickles: GABA is produced during lactic acid fermentation
A bowl of miso soup before bed may provide both GABA and tryptophan (from tofu) simultaneously, making it a sensible habit.
Glycine: the amino acid that lowers core body temperature
Glycine is an amino acid that multiple studies have shown can lower core body temperature when taken before bed, promoting sleep onset.
Japanese foods rich in glycine:
- Shrimp: shellfish are a representative glycine source
- Scallop (hotate): a shellfish rich in glycine
- Collagen-source foods: chicken wings, pig's trotters and other bone-adjacent cuts
Shrimp is versatile for hot pot, stir-fry, and chili shrimp. In Ho Chi Minh City, frozen shrimp is relatively easy to find. The Farmi app also carries frozen shrimp. [TODO: confirm SKU/URL]
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3 sleep-support recipes
Recipe 1: Dinner: miso soup + steamed chicken breast set
Ingredients (serves 2): Miso soup: dashi 400ml, miso 2 tablespoons, tofu 1/4 block, dried wakame to taste Steamed chicken: chicken breast 200g, cooking sake 1 tablespoon, pinch of salt, 2 slices of ginger
Directions (steamed chicken):
- Place chicken breast on a heat-safe plate, sprinkle with sake, salt, and ginger
- Cover with plastic wrap and microwave at 600W for 3 to 4 minutes
- Let rest for 2 more minutes with residual heat (ensures thorough cooking)
- Once cooled, shred into bite-sized pieces
Serve with ponzu or soy sauce plus grated ginger for a refreshing taste. Efficiently provides tryptophan and vitamin B6.
Recipe 2: Before bed: warm soy milk banana drink
Ingredients (serves 1):
- Soy milk: 200ml
- Banana: 1/2
- Honey: 1 teaspoon (1 year and older)
- Cinnamon: a pinch (optional)
Directions:
- Warm soy milk in microwave for 1.5 minutes (do not boil)
- Mash banana well and place in a cup
- Pour warm soy milk over it, add honey and stir well
- Sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon
Best consumed 1 to 2 hours before bed. A tryptophan-rich combination of banana and soy milk.
Recipe 3: After-dinner finish: shrimp and spinach rice porridge
Ingredients (serves 2):
- Cold rice: 2 bowls
- Peeled shrimp: 100g
- Spinach: 1/2 bunch
- Egg: 1
- Dashi: 500ml
- Light soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Mirin: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: a pinch
Directions:
- Warm dashi in a pot, season with soy sauce, mirin, and salt
- Add rice and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes
- Add shrimp and spinach, cook for 2 to 3 more minutes
- Drizzle beaten egg in a circle, turn off heat while egg is still soft
This porridge provides glycine (shrimp), lutein (spinach), and tryptophan (egg) all at once, perfect for a nighttime meal.
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Basic rules for sleep and diet
Beyond ingredient selection, meal timing and habits also affect sleep quality.
Finish dinner 2 to 3 hours before bed: digestion keeps the body in an active state, reducing sleep quality. Late dinners also increase the burden on the digestive system.
Avoid caffeine after 2 PM: caffeine has a half-life of about 5 to 7 hours. Coffee at 3 PM means half remains in your body at 10 PM. Green tea, matcha, and sencha also contain caffeine, so switch to hojicha, barley tea, or herbal tea in the evening.
Alcohol reduces sleep quality: while alcohol temporarily induces drowsiness, it disrupts deep sleep (non-REM) in the second half, ultimately reducing sleep quality.
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Sourcing ingredients in Ho Chi Minh City
Farmi app (Japanese language, delivery within 1 hour):
- Chicken breast (packaged) [TODO: confirm SKU/URL]
- Frozen shrimp (peeled) [TODO: confirm SKU/URL]
- Soy milk and tofu [TODO: confirm SKU/URL]
- Various miso (Marukome, Hikari, etc.) [TODO: confirm SKU/URL]
- Natto (frozen) [TODO: confirm SKU/URL]
- Related category: Seasonings and pantry [TODO: confirm URL]
- Related article: Miso soup basics: making dashi in HCMC [TODO: confirm URL]
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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Q1. What should I eat before bed to sleep better?
Drinking a small warm beverage (heated soy milk, hojicha tea) 1 to 2 hours before bed is a simple approach. Banana or a few nuts also make suitable bedtime snacks. Be careful not to eat too much; "light" is the principle.
Q2. Is drinking miso soup every night good for sleep?
GABA in miso and tryptophan from tofu may relate to sleep support. It is an easy daily habit to maintain, and the psychological relaxation effect (the feeling of a "home-cooked dinner") should not be overlooked.
Q3. Are supplements or food better for sleep?
Dietary intake comes first. GABA and glycine supplements exist, but try food-based approaches first, then consult a doctor if needed before considering supplements.
Q4. Does the heat in Ho Chi Minh City affect sleep?
More than heat itself, sudden temperature changes from air conditioning tend to affect sleep. A bedroom temperature around 25 to 27 degrees Celsius, avoiding over-cooling, is what matters most.
Q5. Does this diet help with jet lag upon arrival?
For jet lag, meal timing aligned with the local time zone is important. Having a proper breakfast and finishing dinner 2 to 3 hours before bed supports resetting the body clock. Including tryptophan-rich foods at dinner is also a good reference.
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Summary: gently improving sleep quality with Japanese food
Tryptophan, GABA, glycine: they may sound complex, but they are abundant in chicken breast, miso, shrimp, banana, and tofu, all staples of Japanese cuisine. Just tweaking your daily dinner a little can build a habit of supporting sleep from within.
If you have nights where you "cannot sleep well" while living in Ho Chi Minh City, start with tonight's dinner.
Download the Farmi app to gather ingredients and maintain your daily Japanese food habits.
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This article shares general nutrition information and does not replace diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of sleep disorders. If chronic insomnia or other sleep issues persist, please consult a doctor.
Japanese native review pending
Farmi Editorial Team
Farmi Editorial Team
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