Heres a bad carb that might help you catch more zzzs.

Tossing and turning in bed and wishing for a restful night of sleep?

Reaching for more caffeine is not the only consequence of not catching enough zzzs at night.

a photo of a man sleeping

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However, paying attention to what is on your plate may also help improve your sleep.

Read on to find out the best bad carb for better sleep.

When it comes to carbohydrate foods, our top pick for sleep is rice.

Rice has an unearned reputation for being a bad carb even though it has a lot to offer nutrition-wise.

Heres why experts pick rice as the best bad carb for sleep.

It works by increasing your blood sugar, which boosts tryptophan," she says.

Additionally, rice contains some levels of melatonin as well.

In fact, the combination of carbohydrates and melatonin in rice seems to make it particularly beneficial for sleep.

It Delivers Magnesium

In addition to melatonin,magnesiumis another popular natural sleep aid.

While white rice contains some magnesium, swapping it for brown rice will optimize your magnesium intake.

Related:Should You Take Magnesium to Sleep Better?

Here’s What Doctors Say

It Has GABA

Magnesium supports better-quality sleep in more ways than one.

Sufficient magnesium can help enhance GABA’s function, potentially promoting better sleep.

There are countless ways to incorporate more rice into your diet to support better sleep.

Try pairing rice with othersleep-enhancing foodslike cherries.

Score even better zzzs by pairing rice withanother sleep-supporting foodlike salmon or pistachios.

Related:7 Bedtime Snacks to Support Your Metabolism