Need A Good Night's Sleep? These Are the Best Foods to Eat Before Bed

Having a good night's sleep is vitally important. Even one bad night is enough to throw your whole schedule out of whack, leaving you feeling exhausted and unmotivated for the rest of the week. However, you'll be happy to know that you can adjust your lifestyle to promote better sleep quality -- which includes your diet. If you want to improve your sleep, consider these foods as your before-bed snack, while avoiding other foods.

How your diet affects sleep quality

Most people accept that nutrition is essential to keep your body working at peak performance -- you need calcium to keep your bones strong and potassium to keep your nerves and muscles functioning. But did you know that your vitamin and nutrient intake also affects how well you sleep?

Studies have indicated that certain nutrient deficiencies such as magnesium, calcium and vitamins A, C, D, E and K -- can lead to sleep troubles. For example, a vitamin D deficiency may contribute to sleep disorders and shorter sleep duration, possibly because it's crucial for melatonin production pathways. 

A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients will help your body get better sleep. There are a few rules to follow when eating to improve sleep quality. First, avoid eating big meals too close to bedtime to avoid acid reflux and heartburn. You should also be careful about the types of foods and drinks you consume, as some can keep you up at night. 

Foods to avoid before sleep

Foods to stay away from at night to get better sleep:

• High-fat and sugary foods
• Spicy foods
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Acidic foods
• Chocolate

Foods to help you sleep

Thankfully, late-night snacks aren't completely off the table. Foods that include tryptophan, magnesium, vitamin D and complex carbs can promote sleep. Swapping out your usual go-to goodies for one of these options might help you drift off more easily, thereby curbing poor sleep.

• Proteins such as fish and poultry
• Whole grains
• Leafy greens
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Milk and yogurt
• Nuts
• Fruits such as berries, bananas, kiwis and oranges

A good night's sleep can influence your food choices

I don't know about you, but if I'm tired, my stomach rumbles for the worst grub -- I'm talking greasy French fries, chips, or cookies. It's as if the only thing that can get me through hours of brain fog and poor concentration is a shot of sugar right to the brain. But we know consuming a lot of sugar isn't ideal for mental health.

When you're sleep-deprived, you're more likely to make bad food choices and increase consumption without balancing it with energy expenditure. This could be one reason that sleep deprivation is linked to a higher risk of obesity and chronic health conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes.

Before you feel bad about yourself, know there are hormones at work. Ghrelin and leptin are hormones that regulate appetite. Leptin's role is to maintain energy balance and inhibit hunger. It naturally rises when we're sleeping. Conversely, ghrelin release tells your brain it's time to eat. That's why it's also known as the "hunger hormone."

Studies have shown that when sleep is compromised, leptin levels decrease and ghrelin levels increase. So you feel hungrier even when you don't need to eat. Research published in the journal Sleep found that sleep loss sends chemical signals that boost the pleasure and satisfaction one gets from eating. This is why you'll often find yourself reaching for snacks instead of healthier alternatives, leading to unexpected weight gain.

Compromised sleep doesn't just leave you tired and foggy the next day; it can also lead to poor food choices that only exacerbate your discomfort.

Ways to improve your sleep and diet 

Your nutrition and sleep habits rely on one another to be their best, meaning you can't ignore one without it affecting the other. If you're unsure where to begin, consulting with your doctor is a good starting point. They can help you identify any nutritional deficiencies or sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and help you tailor a nutritional plan to your needs and get healthful sleep. 

There are a few daily habit changes that you can make to promote sleep at night.

• Focus on your sleep hygiene: When I say sleep hygiene, I mean your environment and habits before sleep. Having good sleep hygiene will help you get better sleep at night. A few hours before bed, it's a good idea to start winding down your routine and integrate relaxing activities such as reading a book or taking a bubble bath. Then, it's best to put away your phone at least 45 minutes before bed so the blue light doesn't keep you up. Making slight changes to your nightly routine can go a long way in improving sleep quality and helping you fall asleep.
• Keep it light at night: Going to bed hungry can disrupt sleep. So if you need a snack before bed, try to keep it light and choose food off the sleep-promoting list, such as a banana, yogurt or nuts. 
• Don't drink caffeine late into the afternoon: Caffeine can linger in your body hours after you consume it. Because of this, it's best to stop drinking caffeine in the early afternoon so it doesn't interfere with sleep. 
• Be intentional about what you eat during the day: A balanced diet full of nutrients will go a long way in ensuring you sleep well at night. This isn't to say you have to cut out all the fun stuff, although moderation is a good way to make sure you're getting everything your body needs. 

Dietary changes may be first step to good sleep

Sleep and diet have a chick-or-egg relationship. At any point, you can be the chicken (not getting restful sleep because of what you eat) and then the egg (making bad food choices because of poor sleep quality). And there's no definitive way to determine which came first, your poor sleep or your poor food choices.

The only way to fully address your sleep troubles and improve sleep health is to also examine your diet. Does your diet have too much saturated fat? Or are you eating the wrong foods at night? Making changes to your eating habits -- while making sure a well-balanced diet is maintained -- will significantly affect your sleep, which in turn will help you make better food choices.