We’ve all heard the common thinking around food and sleep: Stay away from caffeine after a certain hour. Drinking cocktails late at night can lead to disturbances. Eating too close to bedtime will result in tossing and turning all night.
What’s the true relationship between food and sleep? Are there certain foods that can improve quality of sleep? Are there certain foods that actually induce slumber?
First, we know that short sleep is correlated to an increase in food intake the following day. When we’re tired, does our body crave “bad foods” to obtain a quick pick-me-up throughout the day? It seems so.
“How much and how well a person sleeps at night influences eating choices the next day. ‘If you don’t get enough good sleep, or you’re sleep-deprived, you’ll eat more, and that food will be higher in fat or carbohydrates, and it will probably be a higher caloric intake than if you’re well-rested,’ she [Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge] says.”
Dr. St-Onge’s research showed that participants in her study took twice as long to fall asleep at night after having a previous night of low-quality sleep and eating more saturated fats and calories throughout the day. It seems that a diet high in sugar (more than the daily recommended serving) invokes a change to a lighter stage of sleep. A diet that consumes more saturated fats brings on less of the slow-wave (aka deep, restorative) sleep that aids in memory consolidation.
Now that we have an idea about the foods to stay away from, lets take a look at the foods that contribute to a better night of sleep:
Kiwifruit – this small, green fruit contains high amounts of the mood-moderating hormone serotonin, which can help people fall asleep, as well as stay asleep longer.
Tart Cherry Juice – tart cherries contain high levels of phytochemicals (which include melatonin) and aid in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle in humans.
Almonds – these little nuts actually improve sleep quality in a couple of ways: they are a source of melatonin, and also an excellent source of magnesium, which reduces levels of cortisol, a hormone that disrupts sleep quality.
White Rice – due to its high glycemic index, eating this food a few hours before bed can improve sleep quality.
Oatmeal – oats are known source of melatonin, and have been reported to induce drowsiness when consumed before bed.
Bananas – these colorful fruits contain tryptophan and are a good source of magnesium, both of which contain properties that contribute to a good night’s sleep.
Walnuts – regarded as containing one of the best food sources of melatonin, their fatty acid makeup also plays a role. They provide ALA (an omega-3) that becomes DHA after being metabolized and will increase the production of serotonin, which is a sleep-enhancing brain chemical.