Just as sleep is about to hit you, your stomach begins to grumble. You think to yourself that you’ll just run downstairs and grab an extra slice of your mom’s apple pie. Or maybe you won’t, because it’s 1am.
We have all heard many opinions on what foods you should and shouldn’t eat before you sleep. Some people say don’t eat at all before bedtime. Others insist that you can pick and choose what you eat. But what advice is worth your ears and what isn’t? Keep reading on to hear what the experts have to say about this topic.
Dieticians, doctors, and researchers have compiled countless lists of what foods you should and shouldn’t eat before you sleep. But there are a few common themes that are worthy of mentioning. Take notice that many of the foods that you shouldn’t eat are made of fat and sugar. Foods that doctors recommend for sleeping are often high in tryptophan, found in dairy foods, which boosts serotonin levels.
DON’T EAT:
Caffeine
This one should be obvious. A study conducted at Michigan’s Henry Ford Hospital’s Sleep Disorders and Research Center and Wayne State College of Medicine looked at potential sleep-disruptive effects of caffeine. They explain, “If you do have a midday cup of coffee, make sure to drink it before 2 p.m.” You can read more about the lingering effects of caffeine here.
High Fat Foods
When you munch on fatty foods at night, your digestion track gets woken up and can result in you waking up too! And this disruption in sleep patterns can have an impact. “We know that short-sleep duration is associated with weight gain and obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease,” says Michael A. Gardner, PhD from the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology at the University. If this has peaked your interest, you can read more about the role of fat-rich foods and sleep for college-aged students here.
Protein
Sure, protein is high in amino acids, which is great for building and repairing muscle tissue while you snooze. The National Sleep Foundation explains, “The best bedtime snack is one that contains both a carbohydrate and protein, such as cereal with milk, peanut butter on toast, or cheese and crackers.” Read more about the do’s and don’ts of bedtime snacks here.
DO EAT:
Yogurt
What can’t yogurt do that is beneficial for the body? MedlinePlus explains that yogurt not only strengthens bone health. It also boosts the immune system. Keep reading here to see the many benefits of calcium for sleep and more!
Cereal
The complex carbohydrates in cereal can help regulate the production of serotonin and melatonin, and create a calming mood. And if you’re a student, 99.9% of the time you’ll have cereal in your dorm because cereal is cheap and readily available for you. If you’re a mom there’s also a good chance that your youngster has jilted you into a box or two, or three. Read more about it on Healthline!
Kale
We know Beyonce is a fan of kale from her notorious 7/11 music video. It turns out there are some legitimate health benefits of kale when it comes to your sleep pattern. Kale also contains calcium to help you fall and stay asleep at night. Not super convinced? See more about the health benefits of kale here.
In conclusion, when it comes to eating late at night, go for foods rich in calcium but low in salt and sugar. And when you get the hunger rumbles, definitely eat something!
Sources:
Breus, Micheal. J. (2013). New Details on Caffeine’s Sleep-Disrupting Effects. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sleep-newzzz/201312/new-details-caf…
C. Bosetti, M. Filomeno, P. Riso, J. Polesel, F. Levi, R. Talamini, M. Montella, E. Negri, S. Franceschi, and C. La Vecchia. Cruciferous vegetables and cancer risk in a network of case–control studies. Ann Oncol (2012) 23 (8): 2198-2203
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nutrition for Everyone: Fruits and Vegetables. Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. 2013.
Culnan, E., Kloss, J. D., & Grandner, M. (2013). A prospective study of weight gain associated with chronotype among college freshmen. Chronobiology International, 30(5), 682–690.
Drake, C., Roehrs, T., Shambroom, J., & Roth, T. (2013). Caffeine Effects on Sleep Taken 0, 3, or 6 Hours before Going to Bed. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine?: JCSM?: Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 9(11), 1195–1200.
Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition board.Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride.
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium. Accessed February 12, 2013.
National Sleep Foundation. (2005). Food and Sleep. Retrieved from http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/food-and-sleep/page/0/1
Magnesium rich foods. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/Documents/CP…
U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 2010.