While You Were Sleeping

Issue 47 | April 22, 2024

The Best (and Worst) Foods for Your Sleep

When you're trying to improve your sleep, you're likely thinking about your evening routine, bedroom environment, and what relaxation techniques to adopt.

Have you also considered how your diet might be affecting your sleep?

This week, we'll cover:

The best foods to improve your sleep
How your diet can decrease your risk of developing sleep apnea
Foods you should avoid for some quality shuteye

Foods to Improve Your Sleep

Most of us have discovered first hand how food and eating too close to bedtime can affect how well we sleep.

Heavy, greasy meals, sugary snacks, and alcohol consumed too close to bedtime disrupt your sleep cycle and lead to groggy mornings and a restless night.

While a balanced diet is crucial for overall health, certain foods can actually enhance your sleep quality.

In fact, there's a whole menu of options that can help you drift off more easily and enjoy a more restful night!

Learn about the natural compounds in certain foods that can help regulate your sleep cycle and discover tasty bedtime snacks that could be your ticket to better sleep.

Learn More

Sleep Quiz

Eating which type of food close to bedtime might disrupt your sleep?

A. Leafy greens
B. Dark chocolate
C. Spicy foods
D. Oatmeal

Scroll to the bottom for the answer!

No Time for Meal Prep? Try a Sleep Supplement!

Many recommended foods for sleep are high in melatonin and magnesium. But if fitting these into your bedtime routine is tough, a quality sleep supplement could be your answer!

We recommend Sleep Doctor's melatonin or magnesium supplements if you're looking to get the rest you need without the hassle of meal planning!

These supplements pack the perfect punch of sleep-friendly nutrients, so you're covered even if your dinner is a sleep saboteur!

Sleep Tip of the Week

Incorporate a small, sleep-friendly snack into your evening routine. Opt for something light and easy to digest to avoid discomfort and disruptions during the night.

Healthy plant-based diets linked to lower risk of obstructive sleep apnea

Recent research reveals that adopting a wholesome plant-based diet can drastically lower the risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

Conversely, the study highlights that an unhealthy plant-based diet laden with refined grains, sugar, and salt, along with excessive consumption of animal-based foods, can significantly increase the likelihood of developing this sleep disorder.

Need another reason to eat healthy? You can find the results of the study here.

Quiz Answer

The correct answer is C. Spicy foods.

Eating spicy foods close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep because they contain capsaicin, which can raise your body temperature. A higher body temperature can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Katie Tu | Email Content Manager

I used to think a bedtime snack meant ice cream. Now, I know it's more about almonds and less about Rocky Road.

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Sleep Doctor (collectively Sleep Foundation, SleepFoundation.org, SleepApnea.org, and SleepDoctor.com) is not affiliated with the National Sleep Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Washington, D.C.

Sleep Doctor and its brands provide comprehensive health information to help people cultivate better sleep. Sleep Doctor does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment options.

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