November 25, 2024

What is a Diet Someone Should Consider to Sleep Better?

By Rebecca Appleman, RD

Is It Possible to Create a Diet for Sleep?

Sleep is extraordinarily important. It is critical for your physical health and your mental health. As nutritionists, we know that sleep can even play a role in the foods you crave, the amount of food you eat, how your gut processes food, your overall digestive health and so much more.

Yet most of us are not getting the amount of sleep we need. We should, as adults, get 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, yet most of us get 6 or fewer hours on a frequent basis. One question that we’re often asked as nutritionists is: “is it possible to create a diet that improves our ability to sleep?”

The answer may surprise you.

Food and Diets that Prevent Sleep

There are many issues that can cause poor sleep, such as work or school stress, social and other anxieties, depression, the experience of being generally over-extended, and/or maintaining a poor diet.  Some may also struggle with a concept popularized on social media and referred to as “revenge bedtime procrastination,” which is when the feeling of being too busy during the day causes people to refuse to go to bed at night in an effort to create some “me time.”

There are many ways that diet can contribute to poor sleep.  Examples include:

• Late Caffeine Intake – Drinking caffeine is typically fine in moderation, but drinking too much caffeine or drinking caffeine too late in the day can cause insomnia, and related issues. Remember, some foods and drinks not typically advertised as being caffeinated, can still contain caffeine, such as chocolate, some supplements, energy drinks, certain types of tea, or sodas.
• Late Night Eating – Large meals late at night may also contribute to insomnia, indigestion, or an uncomfortable feeling of fullness, and make it either harder to fall asleep, or prevent a restful night’s sleep.
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) – Heartburn and heartburn inducing foods may also make it more difficult to sleep. Those with moderate to severe GERD may find that they are unable to sleep due to feelings of discomfort. Removing GERD triggering foods and positioning yourself properly in bed, will make sleeping easier.
• Undereating/Overeating – Both overeating and undereating can be problematic for those with trouble sleeping. Going to bed hungry can lead to low blood sugar, trouble falling asleep as well as trouble staying asleep. Yet overeating can lead to indigestion, stomach pain, and other issues that may also make it harder to sleep.

Each of these issues can make it harder to sleep, so of course any “diet for sleep” is going to benefit from addressing these issues first.

Creating a Diet for Sleep

It is possible to create a “diet for sleep” that can help you both fall asleep and stay asleep longer. Keep in mind that everyone’s dietary needs and food tolerances are different, but there are strategies that you can try to implement in your diet that can help you to improve your sleep. These include:

• Magnesium Rich Foods – Magnesium is one mineral that has been linked to better sleep. Foods rich in magnesium are known to relax muscles and improve sleep quality. Examples include spinach, nuts, seeds, oats, and avocados. Increasing magnesium intake is one of the most effective specific dietary changes that someone can make for enhanced sleep.
• Balanced Food Intake Throughout the Day – Maintaining a stable, balanced diet throughout the day without caloric restriction or binging will prime your body for proper sleep.
• Small Snacks Before Bed – A small bedtime snack that contains tryptophan (an amino acid that is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter than helps regulate sleep) and a touch of complex carbohydrate (for fiber) can be beneficial for sleep. Some examples include: a small banana with 2 Tbsp cottage cheese or Greek yogurt; a small handful of mixed nuts/seeds, a few Tbsp hummus with a small handful of whole grain crackers.
• B Vitamins – B-Vitamins can also help improve sleep. Deficiencies in B12 or B6 have negative impacts on sleep, so solving these through diet or supplementation can be helpful. B vitamin rich foods include eggs, beef, liver, salmon, nutritional yeast, avocado, bananas, chickpeas and mushrooms.
• Establishing a Reliable Bedtime Routine – Meal planning in advance can help with the dinner scramble and can ensure that you eat earlier, thereby allowing you to get to bed earlier. Relaxation and mindfulness strategies can improve digestion, while getting your body and brain ready for bed too.

These dietary changes could potentially make a big difference in your how well and how much you sleep. Working with one of our nutritionists, enables clients to take a very detailed look at their food behaviors and enables us to help you create a diet and a schedule that can achieve better sleep for you, and your children.

If you’re looking for nutrition counseling in NYC, including a diet for better sleep or other needs, please reach out to Appleman Nutrition, today. Schedule a 15 minute introductory phone call and find out more about how our team of nutritionists can help you with your dietary needs.