How to Eat for Better Sleep

+ recipe for Raspberry Almond Chia Pudding Parfaits

There are plenty of reasons to lose sleep these days, but what you eat shouldn’t be one of them. It’s one factor we have some control over, and it can make a big difference in how much rest we get and our overall wellbeing.

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Getting enough quality sleep is critical to our health---it enables the body to restore itself, to recharge the immune and endocrine systems, brain function and more. Also, good sleep habits are linked with reducing inflammation which is thought to be a root cause of many chronic diseases. There is a real biological reason we feel so much better after a solid night’s rest.

Researchers have been homing in on how nutrition and sleep are related, and they’re more interconnected than you might think. What and when we eat and drink directly impacts how well we sleep and, on the flipside, our sleep habits affect how we eat. Inadequate sleep alters our hunger hormones in a way that can lead to unhealthy food cravings and weight gain –leading us to spiral into a cycle of worse sleep deprivation and negative eating habits.

While there are many factors that contribute to a solid night’s rest, including practicing good sleep hygiene (something sleep expert Dr. Shelby Harris and I discussed in this episode of my podcast) keying into these four eating and drinking strategies can help you on the best possible path to optimal sleep.

Focus on Food Quality and Balance

It’s tempting to be lured by the promise that a particular food or nutrient will bring better slumber, but it just doesn’t work that way. There are so many nutrients that support better sleep, no one food will make up for a lacking diet. So, think big picture, focusing on the overall quality and balance of what you are eating.

Research shows that people who eat higher quality diets with a balance of carbohydrate, protein and healthy fats from nutrient dense, minimally processed foods ---including plenty of vegetables, whole fruit, whole grains, beans, and fish---sleep better than those who eat fewer of these foods. Conversely, consuming a lot of sugary foods and drinks is linked with insomnia.

It’s not surprising considering these healthy foods provide folate, vitamin B6, zinc, magnesium, and the amino acid tryptophan, which are all involved in the body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that tells the brain it is time to nod off. Many of these foods are also rich in vitamin c and fiber, low levels of which are linked with insomnia.

Keep in mind that this is the same way of eating that supports heart health, reduces cancer risk, reduces inflammation, is linked with healthier skin, and more, so potential better sleep is just another reason to eat this way. (If you are cooking my recipes, you are already well on your way 😊)

Get into a Rhythm