What Should You Eat Before Bed for Better Sleep?

Eating With Sleep in Mind

If you’re tired of being tired, better nutrition before bed could lead to better sleep. “You don’t need prescription drugs or lengthy bedtime routines to fall asleep quickly and wake up refreshed,” says Karman Meyer RD, LDN registered dietitian and author of Eat to Sleep: What to Eat and When to Eat It. “Try incorporating ‘sleepy’ foods as well as good sleep hygiene to get optimal shut-eye, naturally.”

Snacking before bed is not essential for good sleep. But if you find that you’re waking up truly hungry during the night – or you can’t fall asleep because you are hungry, a bedtime snack can be part of a healthy sleep routine. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing what to eat before bed, according to Meyer:

Choose a mix of complex carbohydrates (with fiber) and protein to keep blood sugar stable during the night.

Choose foods that are either natural sources of melatonin or those that provide the amino acid tryptophan which allows the body to produce melatonin. Melatonin regulates a healthy sleep-wake cycle and promotes quality sleep.

Choose foods with magnesium, which is a natural muscle relaxer and can help with drifting off to sleep.

Avoid foods containing caffeine or those that could cause stomach discomfort.

Don’t go to bed with a full meal in your stomach – this is a snack.

With that, here are some of our favorite foods to include in a bedtime snack for a better night’s sleep.

Tart Cherries

Researchers found that people who drank Montmorency tart cherry juice in the morning and again before bed slept longer at night. Tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin.

Additionally, scientists speculate that the high number of antioxidant polyphenols in tart cherries may help decrease inflammation and in turn promote sleep.

Try six to eight ounces of cherry juice and a serving of cottage cheese, or a frozen tart cherry-and-milk smoothie sweetened with a touch of honey.

Milk

Warm milk is a comforting bedtime snack for good reason. It is almost a cocktail of sleep-inducing nutrients including tryptophan, magnesium, potassium, calcium and vitamin D. Milk and dairy foods are especially rich in the essential amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is needed for the body to produce the neurotransmitter serotonin, and it’s serotonin that is the precursor to the hormone melatonin.

Try a warm glass of milk with a couple drops of vanilla extract, or classic cereal and milk.

Nuts

Pistachios generally contain higher amounts of melatonin than other nuts. Almonds are high in calcium which is important for melatonin production. Healthy levels of the electrolytes calcium, potassium and magnesium can also help prevent nighttime leg cramps; and most nuts contain these electrolytes. They also have the staying power of healthy fats and protein.

Try almonds or pistachios with dried cherries, or nut butter-smeared sweet potato ‘toast.’

Peanut Butter

Peanuts have a similar nutrient profile to nuts. But roasting other nuts decreases their melatonin content; roasting peanuts actually increases their melatonin content. Peanuts also contain several nutrients which help regulate stress response. Researchers found that college students who regularly consumed peanuts and peanut butter experienced decreases in anxiety, depression and stress. Reducing stress can lead to better sleep.

Try celery or pear slices with peanut butter, or a savory bowl of oatmeal with peanut butter and everything bagel seasoning.

Olives

For those who suffer from heartburn or gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), low-acid fruits like olives may help. They also contain the electrolytes potassium and magnesium, along with melatonin. Olives contain healthy fats that help keep blood sugars stable overnight. Combining olives with a high-water veggie (like celery or cucumbers) can further dilute stomach acid to relieve some symptoms of GERD. (Snacks should be eaten at least two hours before lying down to prevent reflux.)

Try olives with cucumber slides, or herb cream cheese spread on celery, topped with olives.

Tuna

Perhaps surprisingly, one of those tuna packs with accompanying crackers is a good bedtime snack. It’s a portion-controlled, convenient combination of protein and carbs. Tuna is also a source of tryptophan and vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 is needed to help convert the tryptophan into serotonin, the “happy” neurotransmitter. “Low levels of serotonin have been linked to depression and decreased melatonin production, which can negatively impact sleep-wake cycles,” explains Meyer.

Try half a tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread, or tuna and chopped celery over a small scoop of brown rice.

Beans

As mentioned, foods that cause stomach upset are not a good choice for bedtime snacks. But there are so many reasons to eat beans weekly, and snacks are a good way to fit them in. Plus, a snack-sized portion of hummus or a few black beans may not cause discomfort. Beans are also packed with nutrients that may help with the body’s circadian rhythm.

Try a small bowl of brown rice or barley and melatonin-rich lentils, or whole-grain pita with hummus.

Kiwifruit

In a small study, participants ate two kiwifruit before bed for four weeks and increased their sleep by about 13 percent, which was about 55 minutes when aiming for seven hours of sleep. Like cherries, kiwis contain high amounts of antioxidants – along with serotonin, the precursor of melatonin.

Try kiwifruit and cottage cheese, or kiwifruit and avocado salad tossed in pomegranate molasses.

Barley

Whole grains and legumes are rich in natural melatonin, in contrast with many animal-derived products which are rich in the amino acid tryptophan, the substrate to make melatonin. When researchers studied how the melatonin-rich Mediterranean Diet could impact sleep, they found that barley had some of the highest levels of melatonin among grains.