Most of us know that eating a full meal affects our sleep. If we decide what and at what time we want to eat, we can sleep well. Most of us have at some point felt heavy the next morning after eating too much late at night. Our body has to make extra efforts to digest heavy and oily and spicy food, which hinders sleep.
We can improve our sleep by avoiding certain foods and drinks. So can the quality of sleep be improved with the help of certain types of food before sleeping? In many studies, certain foods at night have been found to be helpful in improving sleep. Some studies have shown that tart cherry juice can help in sleeping. At the same time, some research suggests that eating kiwi fruit before sleeping can also be beneficial.
What to do for a good sleep?
Some research suggests that drinking warm milk helps in inducing sleep. It is believed that milk contains high amounts of tryptophan, which makes the body produce a hormone called melatonin. It helps in inducing sleep. Melatonin controls our sleep and wake cycle. Its level naturally increases in the body as the day progresses. Apart from this, melatonin can also be obtained through certain foods. These include eggs, fish, nuts and seeds.
Many studies have found that foods rich in melatonin can improve sleep quality and help in sleeping for a long time. However, research also suggests that only one food or drink is not enough to improve sleep, but the role of the entire diet is important for this. Marie-Pierre St-Onge is a professor of nutritional therapy at the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University in New York.
She says, “If you eat poorly all day and think that drinking a glass of tart cherry juice before bedtime will be enough, then it is not so.” She says that it takes time for the body to extract nutrients from food to produce sleep-inducing neurochemicals and this process is not completed in a few hours. Instead, what we eat throughout the day affects the quality of sleep.
Time and method of eating
Research shows that the most beneficial diet for sleep includes foods like whole grains, which we get from plants. Along with this, lean proteins like dairy products and fish are also considered beneficial. Erica Johnson, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan, says that her study of the year 2021 found that people who started eating more fruits and vegetables every day for three months, their sleep improved significantly.
Many studies show that people who have a better diet also have good sleep. However, it’s also possible that they’re eating better because they sleep better. Johnson found that women who ate three or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day were more than twice as likely to have improved insomnia symptoms.
One reason for this is that fruit and vegetables (as well as meat, dairy, nuts, seeds, whole grains and pulses) are rich in an essential amino acid called tryptophan. A 2024 study in Spain asked more than 11,000 students about their sleep habits and diet.
The study found that students who consumed the least amount of tryptophan daily had the worst sleep quality. The researchers concluded that those who consumed the least amount of tryptophan were more likely to have shorter sleep duration and insomnia. They suggest that consuming tryptophan-rich foods may improve sleep quality.
There are other ways plant foods may improve sleep. Such diets are known to help reduce inflammation in the body. Some studies suggest that lower inflammation levels are associated with better sleep quality. In her research, St-Onge found that better sleep is associated with diets that are high in fiber. Magnesium is another nutrient found in plant foods that may be helpful in improving sleep. It helps reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which calms the nervous system.
Adults over the age of 30 are generally recommended to consume about 420 milligrams of magnesium each day. It is found in green leafy vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Many people are deficient in this nutrient. Experts say one reason for this is the modern Western diet, which is low in plant foods and high in ultra-processed foods. Another reason is that modern farming practices deplete the amount of magnesium in the soil.
In a 2024 study, Heather Hausenblas, a professor of exercise science at Jacksonville University in Florida, tested the effects of magnesium intake on people who reported poor sleep. Subjects took magnesium supplements one hour before bedtime for two weeks. For the next two weeks, they took a placebo (an ineffective drug). Their sleep was measured using a body tracker.
Hausenblas found that when people took magnesium, their deep sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep improved more than when they took a placebo. Hausenblas suspects this effect may last longer than two weeks, but she is not certain. She also says that while a good quality magnesium supplement can make people sleep better, it is not a cure for every cause of insomnia. “If you don’t go out, don’t exercise, eat a lot of processed food, and don’t have a regular sleep schedule, just taking it before bed isn’t going to solve all your sleep problems,” she says. A 2017 study also found that taking a daily magnesium supplement significantly improved depression and anxiety.
It’s not just food
Researchers agree that no specific meal at night will protect us from poor sleep, but better and more timely meals throughout the day can. “One of the most important things to remember before sleep is to not eat a few hours before bedtime. In particular, don’t eat a high-calorie meal right before bedtime,” Johnson says. Some research suggests that eating early in the day, especially starting with breakfast, is associated with better sleep. If you eat dinner right before bedtime, it may take you longer to fall asleep.
“When there’s a clear distinction between day and night, it’s easier for the brain to recognize that it’s time to sleep. The brain starts fresh every morning, and early morning exposure to light is important for resetting our body clock,” Johnson says. Eating during daylight hours may help the body produce more melatonin, the researchers say. However, according to St-Onge, scientists have not yet fully understood how plant-based melatonin affects the melatonin our bodies make, and how that affects sleep. A plant-based diet seems to be the most beneficial for sleep for several reasons.
Eating meals at regular times throughout the day may also help. But diet alone is not enough to get good sleep. The researchers emphasize that sleep is also affected by how physically active we are during the day and how our mental health is. The length of time we are exposed to light and darkness is also related to getting good sleep.
St-Onge says it’s also important to understand that there’s a difference between poor sleep and a sleep disorder (such as insomnia or sleep apnea). “If you have a sleep disorder, you should get tested and treated,” she says. “Part of the treatment may be improving your diet, but some people need other treatments.”
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