Diet Tips for Better Sleep

What you eat (and don’t eat) can directly impact your ability to get a good night’s sleep. A healthy diet is not a substitute for a consultation with your doctor if you suspect that a sleep disorder might be causing you to lose sleep, but it can certainly augment your treatment plan. If you’re not struggling with a sleep disorder but still want to fine-tune your zzz’s, some subtle diet changes can help you make the most of your nighttime rest.

A Case for Smaller Portions

Being overweight or obese has been linked with obstructive sleep apnea (known as OSA) and reflux, which can both disrupt your sleep. Although you should meet with your doctor if either of these conditions might be present, reducing your overall calorie intake while boosting your exercise regime can create less stress on your body’s systems and make it easier for you to breathe at night, leading to better sleep. Talk with your doctor about beginning a weight-loss program if you think this might apply.

Sip Smart

Caffeinated beverages can make you feel more alert during the day, but they can interfere with your sleep at night if you’re still sipping in the late afternoon and evening. Limit your caffeine intake to the morning and early afternoon, then switch to herbal tea or seltzer water for a refreshing beverage when you’re thirsty. If you are having a particularly hard time falling asleep most nights, your caffeine consumption should end by lunchtime. Likewise, alcoholic beverages can disrupt your sleep at night. Avoid alcoholic beverages within a couple of hours before bedtime. Even water can interrupt your sleep if you’re drinking too much right before bed, since you’ll be visiting the bathroom repeatedly throughout the night. Snacks with high-water content (such as celery) can also increase your need to use the bathroom.

Bedtime Snacks

Some foods contain the amino acid known as tryptophan that can help you feel sleepy in the evening. Because carbohydrates help your body make the most of tryptophan, bedtime snacks that combine carbs and protein are your best bet. Cereal with milk, crackers and cheese, or peanut butter on toast are great examples. Avoid foods known for boosting brain activity, such as tomatoes, eggplant, and aged cheeses. Also avoid heavy, high-fat foods, such as pizza, or food types that are hard to digest, such as beans or steak, since this can overload your digestive system right before bed and make you feel uncomfortable. Spicy and sugary foods should also be avoided right before bedtime.

Steady Sleeping

Getting enough sleep is a diet tip unto itself. When you’re sleep-deprived, your body naturally craves higher-calorie food, and your self-discipline is weaker. Pizza, cupcakes, take-out food, junk food, and other unhealthy choices sound more appealing when you’re sleep deprived. Blame it on hormonal disruptions, especially leptin (which lets your body know when you’re full) and ghrelin (which regulates hunger). Long story short, stay slim by sleeping well.

References

National Sleep Foundation, Diet, Exercise and Sleep
http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/diet-exercise-and-sleep/page/0/3

National Sleep Foundation, Food and Sleep
http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/food-and-sleep/page/0/1

UC Berkeley, Sleep Deprivation Linked to Food Cravings
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2013/08/06/poor-sleep-junk-food/

Cornell University, The Sleep and Nutrition Connection
https://www.gannett.cornell.edu/cms/pdf/sleep/upload/sleep_nutrition_connection.pdf

AARP, Inc. 12 Foods That Sabotage Sleep
http://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2014/foods-that-disrupt-sleep-photo.html#slide15