What do I eat or not eat before bed to support a good night of sleep?
As the saying goes: ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’. So, if you want to get a good night’s sleep there are a few things that you can do, or not do that make all the difference.
Generally speaking, if you follow good sleep hygiene protocols, skip caffeine after 11am and avoid alcohol and nicotine in the evening you are well on your way to preventing sleep disruption. Additionally, other aspects of your diet can be modified to optimize your likelihood for getting a great nights sleep.
It's generally recommended to avoid heavy, rich, or spicy foods close to bedtime, as they can cause indigestion and make it difficult to fall asleep. Instead, you might try eating a light, healthy snack such as a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. A small serving of complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain crackers or a small serving of oatmeal, can also be helpful. Drinking milk or herbal tea can also be a good choice before bed, as they can promote sleep. It's also important to remember to stay hydrated throughout the day, but to limit your fluid intake in the evening to prevent the need to wake up to use the bathroom during the night. So what to eat before bed for a better night’s sleep?
Say yes to these 10 snacks to promote restful sleep:
- Cherries: contain melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.
- Walnuts: contain melatonin and magnesium, which can help you fall asleep.
- Almonds: are a good source of magnesium and tryptophan, which can help you relax.
- Kale: is rich in calcium, which can help the brain use tryptophan to manufacture melatonin.
- Milk: contains calcium and tryptophan, which can help promote sleep.
- Turkey: contains tryptophan, which again can help you fall asleep.
- Fish: such as salmon, tuna and halibut, are rich in vitamin B6 and magnesium, which supports the body’s production of melatonin.
- Chamomile Tea: it has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for insomnia and other sleep-related issues. It contains apigenin, a flavonoid that binds to receptors in the brain in charge of inducing sleepiness and reducing anxiety.
- Passion Fruit: contains high levels of GABA, an amino acid that helps to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.
- Rack Evening Blend: rich in naturally occurring tryptophan in alpha-lactalbumin protein fractions and anthocyanins and polyphenols from natural tart cherry extracts.
It's worth mentioning that everyone's body is different and some people may react differently to certain foods. While generally these foods promote a good nights’ sleep, some may find that certain foods affect their sleep negatively. So, keep track of how different foods affect your sleep and adjust accordingly.
Never as simple as it sounds: keep the big picture in mind.
The main active ingredients in the foods on the list are Tryptophan, GABA, Magnesium, Anthocyanins (among other anti-inflammatory mediators) and B-vitamins. Many of the benefits of these ingredients are dependent upon hydration level, individual nutrient status, and the dietary habits of the consumer. For instance, as we mentioned previously, the absorption of the tryptophan can be greatly affected by the presence of competing amino acids for transport across the blood-brain barrier.
The optimal conditions for preferential selection of tryptophan for transport require that it is the predominant large neutral amino acid present at the time of transport. So, if you want to hack the body’s ability to promote production of serotonin and melatonin to promote sleep then you have to be very selective about your food choices during the day as well as the timing of your meals.
But don’t worry, we have done the hard work for you. Our blend of alpha-lactalbumin protein and tart cherry provides the correct ratio of tryptophan and in a sufficient amount to help promote longer and more restful periods of sleep without causing any drowsiness or brain fog in the morning. The tart cherry also contains naturally occurring melatonin and anthocyanins which help the body control systemic inflammation and reduce the load of oxidative stress on the body’s functional systems.
You put in the work during the day to build the best version of yourself and we will make sure you are optimizing your sleep periods to get the rest and recovery you need to get after it again!
