It's generally understood that the foods you eat are important for energy production, but most people I speak to are surprised to learn that they also have a direct impact on your ability to get a good night's sleep.
Yes, it’s true! The foods you do and don't eat as well as when you eat them can impact your ability to fall asleep, stay asleep and sleep well.
Getting enough sleep is the foundation for health as it’s when your cells repair, your brain builds new neural pathways, your liver detoxifies your blood and your immune system replenishes.
So, it's a good idea to do everything you can to optimise your sleep and a crucial part of this is diet. In this article I will look at which foods you should eat to help your body create the hormones and neurotransmitters needed to help you relax and control your circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle).
Melatonin-rich foods
The first thing to understand about sleep is that how easily you fall asleep, as well as for how long for, is regulated by your body’s circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm in turn is managed by the hormone melatonin.
Melatonin is created by your body with the help of a series of building blocks and cofactors, all of which are nutrients obtained from food. The most important one is tryptophan, an amino acid found in many protein-rich foods. Tryptophan is the precursor of melatonin, so without adequate supply your body can’t make enough melatonin which will likely result in you struggling to fall and stay asleep.
The first step in supporting sleep through nutrition is therefore eating foods high in tryptophan as well as protein-rich foods in general. Whilst adequate protein consumption (1g per kg of body weight) should cover your needs, you may wish to focus specifically on tryptophan-rich foods whilst working on optimising your sleep. Tryptophan is found in most meats but is particularly high in turkey. It’s also found in oats, dairy products, nuts and seeds, bananas and cherries.
For tryptophan to be utilised efficiently by your body it needs to be eaten with carbohydrates. A banana, cherry & almond butter smoothie bowl would be a nice, calming addition as an after dinner dessert, for example. Ideally, you'll want to ensure adequate intake of protein throughout the day on a regular basis in order to best support your body.
Magnesium-rich foods
Another key nutrient for sleep is magnesium (also often called nature’s chill pill by nutritionists). The mineral magnesium will help you relax and wind down as it has a calming effect on your nervous system.
Magnesium lowers blood pressure and the major stress hormone cortisol. It increases GABA, a calming neurotransmitter, and inhibits receptors in the nervous system, reducing excitation and further supporting relaxation.
Not having enough magnesium has been linked to insomnia. And some studies have also found that chronically stressed people are more likely to be lacking magnesium.
The best way to ensure you get enough magnesium is to include a variety of green foods in your diet on a daily basis, specifically dark green leafy veg (kale, spinach, chard, etc.) Magnesium is also found in most nuts and seeds (especially almonds) as well as bananas, dark chocolate, cacao, avocado and tofu.
I like to add a handful of spinach to smoothies or use frozen kale for soups and stews. Another great option is to add nuts and seeds to your breakfast as a topping or put nut butter in your overnight oats. Cacao also works well here. You can even make your own trail mix with nuts, seeds and cacao nibs for extra magnesium in the afternoon.
Magnesium is also safe to supplement for most people (although check with your doctor if you have any diagnosed medical conditions or are on medication). There are a number of different forms, but magnesium glycinate is generally considered the best choice for supporting sleep.
What not to eat before bed
As well as ensuring you get plenty of the right foods, it’s a good idea to be mindful of foods that might disrupt sleep!
First and foremost, don’t eat too much sugar or processed carbs in the evening as this may cause a blood sugar spike followed by a dip that can prevent you falling asleep or make you wake up at night.
If you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep, limiting caffeine during the day is a good starting point. Make sure you don’t have caffeine after midday and stick to 1 cup of coffee or black tea a day, swapping out the rest for herbal teas. Energy drinks are best avoided altogether as they contain high amounts of sugar as well as being extremely high in caffeine. With your herbal teas, opt for calming ones like chamomile or valerian in the evenings.
Cacao, although high in magnesium (and many other nutrients) does contain a compound similar to caffeine which some people can be sensitive to. You may be okay to have this at night, but if you’re unsure it’s best to have it during the day instead.
Finally, stay away from alcohol before bed. Although many claim that it helps them fall asleep, alcohol actually reduces the quality and duration of your sleep, leading to an overall less restful sleep and therefore lower energy the next day.
Summary
To summarise, making sure you’re well rested and allowing your body time to recover is the first step to optimal energy levels and overall health and wellbeing.
There are numerous factors that influence sleep but nutrition plays a key role and is a good place to start.
Here are my top tips:
- Focus on a well-balanced diet including adequate protein
- Get in those carbs but stick to slow-release ones in combination with protein and fibre to support blood sugar balance
- Get in plenty of magnesium-rich foods such as green leafy veg, bananas and nuts and seeds
- Include tryptophan-rich foods such as oats, dairy, turkey, nuts and seeds, bananas and cherries
- Avoid or limit sleep disruptors such as caffeine, sugar and alcohol
- Don’t eat right before bed but don’t go to bed hungry either (approx. two hours before going to bed is a good time for most people to have their last meal)
