How your diet impacts your sleep
[5 MIN READ]
In this article:
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While there is no evidence to suggest that specific foods can help you sleep better, there are ways you can improve the way you eat or drink overall to get better sleep.
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Avoid consuming alcohol or caffeine right before bedtime, because they both interfere with sleep.
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It’s important to get your body on a consistent schedule by eating meals around the same time every day.
How does your diet affect your sleep?
Have you ever wondered whether you could sleep better if you made different food choices? Or ate at certain times? Or avoided certain foods and drinks before bedtime?
According to Fatima Ajaz, M.D., a Providence pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist who practices in Spokane, Washington, it’s a myth that specific foods can help promote sleep. “There is no data to support that certain foods or nutrients make you sleep better,” she says.
However, that doesn’t mean your diet doesn’t affect your sleep at all. Here, Providence takes a deep dive into how you can shape your daily eating and drinking to better prepare yourself to sleep at night.
How alcohol harms sleep
One of the most important tips to remember when you’re trying to improve your sleep is to avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine right before bedtime.
“Alcohol promotes sleep initially, as it is a depressant,” says Dr. Ajaz. “However, it suppresses REM (rapid eye movement) sleep in the second half of the night, and causes increased insomnia as it increases the lighter stage of sleep.”
Studies have shown that:
- Low amounts of alcohol (less than two drinks for men and less than one drink for women) decreased sleep quality by 9.3%.
- Moderate amounts of alcohol (two drinks for men and one drink for women) decreased sleep quality by 24%.
- High amounts of alcohol (more than two drinks for men and more than one drink for women) decreased sleep quality by 39.2%.
Alcohol can have both immediate effects on sleep and cause chronic problems. People who have obstructive sleep apnea, for example, are in danger of having their condition worsened. Alcohol causes the tongue and throat muscles to relax, and it leads to changes to blood vessels in the nose, which results in greater airway resistance in the nasal passages. This combined set of circumstances can cause the airway to become blocked more often during sleep, leading to poor sleep quality.
Additionally, alcohol can cause a person to develop insomnia, meaning they have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. As many as three-quarters of people with alcohol dependence experience insomnia and sleep deprivation when they drink.
How caffeine harms sleep
Caffeine is found in many kinds of drinks, chocolate and some medications, and it can greatly interfere with sleep. It can make you fall asleep later and sleep fewer hours overall. It can also reduce the amount of deep sleep you get.
Caffeine affects the brain by blocking adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a sleep-producing chemical produced in the brain during waking hours, and when caffeine blocks it, you will remain alert.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it’s safe to have up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, but you should be consuming it earlier in the day. Generally, you should cut off your caffeine usage about eight hours before you go to bed for proper sleep hygiene.
The role of meal timing in sleep patterns
In addition to avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bed, you might also consider timing your meals to benefit good sleep. The National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep in America Poll 2024 found that having consistent mealtimes is significantly associated with better sleep.
“Circadian and seasonal rhythms are a fundamental feature of all living organisms,” says Dr. Ajaz. “Biological rhythms are responsible for daily food intake; the period of hunger and satiety is controlled by the central pacemaker, which resides in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus [part of the brain], and communicates with tissues.”
It’s important to get your body on a consistent schedule by eating meals around the same time every day. If you are always eating at different times, that confuses your body’s internal clock, which can lead to poor sleep.
As far as eating and bedtime are concerned, it’s best to eat a light dinner two to three hours before you go to sleep so your body can slowly ease into sleep mode. Heavy meals can cause problems with your ability to go to sleep and stay asleep.
Why a balanced diet is key to long-term sleep health
While researchers have not found a specific link between certain foods and healthy sleep, they do know that it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and good eating habits for your overall health.
That means you should consume a high-fiber diet packed with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins and avoid foods with added sugars. Additionally, you should be especially careful with the snacks you choose right before bedtime — opting for complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal or whole-wheat toast rather than sugary foods such as ice cream.
Everyone needs a good night’s sleep for a healthy life — and that requires being careful about what you eat and drink, and when.
Contributing caregiver
Fatima Ajaz, M.D., is a Providence pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist who practices in Spokane, Washington.
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This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.
