Eating for a Good Night's Sleep

When we have had trouble falling or staying asleep, we may feel like we are dragging ourselves through the next day. One sleepless night might not be a problem, but poor sleep patterns over time can deplete us and increase our risk for chronic disease.

Our sleep cycles may be disrupted for many reasons, including excessive stress and screen time. But did you know that your food and beverage choices can affect how easily you fall asleep, how long you stay asleep, and the quality of your sleep cycles?

The research on the relationship between what we eat and how we sleep can be complicated, but a few practical recommendations may improve your sleep.

What to Avoid Before Sleep

The National Sleep Foundation (2020) suggests some basic foods to avoid before bedtime, including foods high in saturated fat and protein (like a big steak) or spicy meals that can cause heartburn when you lie down. They also recommend avoiding caffeinated beverages and even checking food labels for hidden caffeine (beware the coffee ice cream and some types of chocolate, for example). And while alcohol may initially be relaxing, it can ultimately disrupt sleep during the night.

While some of these warnings may sound familiar, you might also have wondered whether similarly familiar recommendations about specific foods that can help you sleep better are true. For example, is there any truth to the belief that drinking warm milk can help you fall asleep? Or what about the common saying that Thanksgiving turkey makes you tired?

Nutrients That Are Connected to Sleep

Believe it or not, there actually might be some truth to the grandmotherly wisdom that a glass of warm milk or a big turkey dinner can make you sleepy (Binks et al., 2020; Pereira et al., 2020). According to Binks et al. (2020), specific nutrients in these and other foods can be the key to sleep balance. The top three food nutrients that may improve sleep are the amino acid tryptophan, the hormone melatonin, and antioxidants.

The amino acid tryptophan (something you may have heard tied to that big turkey dinner) is found in many protein foods and is used by the body to produce the hormones serotonin and melatonin—both of which are associated with better mood and sleep patterns (Binks et al., 2020). And while turkey and other poultry do contain tryptophan, many other common foods are high in the amino acid as well—including dairy products (like milk and cheese), fish, egg whites, tart cherries, and seeds (like pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower).

Eating a variety of tryptophan-rich foods on a regular basis can support balanced sleep, but a small portion of these foods won’t necessarily send you to dreamland. While people might want to blame the tryptophan in Thanksgiving Day turkey as the sole culprit for our post-meal nap, the over-indulgence of generous amounts of food at the feast is more likely to blame.

As with the turkey dinner, the benefits of a glass of warm milk are a bit tricky to prove as a sure-fire sleep potion (Binks et al., 2020; Pereira et al., 2020). However, milk is one of the foods that contains both melatonin and tryptophan, so it may offer a double sleep-enhancing benefit. The good news, though, is that unless you are lactose-intolerant or allergic to milk, you can try your own experiment of a glass of warm milk before bed without any harm.

One last home remedy to consider is tart cherry juice. In addition to melatonin and tryptophan, tart cherries and 100% tart cherry juice are also a source of high levels of health- (and sleep-) promoting antioxidants and other nutrients (Binks et al., 2020; Pereira et al., 2020). Again, scientists have had trouble finding enough proof to say that drinking tart cherry juice is a cure for insomnia, but a small glass before bedtime is easy to try. Just remember that more is not necessarily better and that too much juice could cause an upset stomach.

Eat a Variety of Healthy Foods

So, what has been proven to help with a good night’s sleep?

When it comes to nutrition and sleep, your overall eating habits may have a greater impact than a glass of warm milk or tart cherry juice (National Sleep Foundation, 2020). Following a healthful diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, and a variety of protein foods will supply your body with the nutrition needed for good health and rest cycles. You will eat plenty of tryptophan, melatonin, and antioxidants without even thinking about it.  

There may also be some foods that you can limit in your daily choices to improve your sleep. Processed, packaged foods are often higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and, according to Delpino et al. (2022), eating ultra-processed foods has been linked to poor sleep quality and duration.

The bottom line is that there are many things to try if you are having trouble sleeping. It can’t hurt to try that glass of milk or tart cherry juice. But consider your overall eating patterns. Ultimately, if you are unhappy with how you sleep at night, you might want to consider what you put on your plate during the day.

References

Binks, H., Vincent, G. E., Gupta, C., Irwin, C., & Khalesi, S. (2020). Effects of diet on sleep: A narrative review. Nutrients, 12(4), 936. 

Delpino, F. M., Figueiredo, L. M., Flores, T. R., Silveira, E. A., Dos Santos, F. S., Werneck, A. O., da Costa Louzada, M. L., Arcencio, R. A., & Nunes, B. P. (2022). Intake of ultra-processed foods and sleep-related outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition, 111908. 

National Sleep Foundation. (2020, November 12). The link between nutrition and sleep.

Pereira, N., Naufel, M. F., Ribeiro, E. B., Tufik, S., & Hachul, H. (2020). Influence of dietary sources of melatonin on sleep quality: A review. Journal of Food Science, 85(1), 5-13.