10 best foods to help you sleep, according to a dietitian
Not sleeping well? Making small tweaks to your diet can – according to the experts – actually help
It’s ‘World Sleep Day’ – a day in which we’re forced to think about how well we’re actually sleeping – and, perhaps, the small tweaks we can make to our bedtime (and dinnertime) routine to make a difference to our nightly slumber. After all, a good night’s sleep can change everything. Not only does being well-rested give your brain time to recharge, but it also helps your immune system fight illness, reduces stress, and lowers your risk for serious health problems, like heart disease and diabetes.
According to a recent survey, 60 per cent of Britons are getting no more than six hours of sleep a night – despite NHS guidelines suggesting that a healthy adult usually needs between seven and nine hours. While a 2022 study conducted by Chemist4U, revealed women typically get less sleep compared to men – averaging only six hours and four minutes per night. This staggering statistic translates to men enjoying over 47 hours more sleep annually than women. And, to make matters worse, this sleep deficit worsens as individuals enter the 35-44 age bracket.
So if you’re spending more time counting sheep than actually catching Z’s, you’re not alone.
There is hope for finally getting the ever-elusive shut-eye, though. Things like creating a sleep routine or making sure your pillow is up to par can help bring on sweet dreams. Another thing that can help you catch those Zzz's more efficiently? Changing your diet.
How to eat for better sleep
‘Pairing the right types of foods in the evening can promote and improve the way you sleep,’ says Rachel Brief, a registered dietitian at Culina Health. ‘In general, you want to look for foods that have protein, fibre, and some healthy fat for adequate blood sugar management before bed.’
For snooze support, you also want to seek out foods with the amino acid called tryptophan. (If you’ve ever felt the urge to take a nap after a big Sunday roast, you can thank tryptophan, since meat like turkey is rich in it.) The amino acid helps the body produce serotonin, one of the hormones which help regulate the sleep cycle.
Another nutrient you should probably add to your diet is vitamin B6. It also supports the production of serotonin and melatonin, which is also necessary for a restful night's sleep. Melatonin basically tells your body when it’s time to sleep and when it's time to wake up by distinguishing between night and day — or in more fancy language, it regulates your body’s circadian rhythm.
But if you’re looking at this as an excuse to up your late-night snack game, sorry to disappoint. Brief recommends consuming these foods in a lighter meal about two to three hours before lights out so that your body has enough time to process and digest it. ‘Eating and then immediately laying down can actually interfere with getting a good night's sleep and may trigger digestive issues such as acid reflux,’ she says.
Ready to hit the hay (and the supermarket)? Check out this list of the 10 best foods to help you sleep and wake up on the right side of the bed.
Best foods to help you sleep
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