Hitting Snooze On Your Nutrition Affects Your Sleep
What we eat affects every aspect of our lives—including rest! At Radiant Nutrition, we believe that sleep and nutrition are two incredibly important elements when trying to achieve a healthy rhythm in life.
There is an approach in the field of nutrition called chrono-nutrition, which looks at how meal timing, frequency, and our body clocks affect sleep quality. Research shows that eating outside the optimal time frames for digestion and metabolism within your sleep-wake cycle can lead to worse sleep and further misalignment of the circadian rhythm. It is important to give yourself ample time to digest before heading to bed, so it is recommended to eat at least 3 hours before you plan to go to sleep. Additionally, studies have found that eating consistent meals three times a day supports better sleep quality.
Melatonin is a hormone that plays an important role in the onset of sleep and the regulation of our circadian rhythm. Many supplements on the market—ranging from gummies to powders to pills—claim to promote better sleep through melatonin. Luckily, you don’t need to rely on supplements alone. It’s been theorized that consuming melatonin-rich foods can increase serum melatonin levels and boost the body’s antioxidant capacity, both of which promote healthy sleep. Foods rich in melatonin include tart cherries (or tart cherry juice), goji berries, eggs, milk, fish, and most nuts. Notice that milk is on this list! Enriched milk and dairy products have been shown to support the gut-brain axis through their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, encouraging restful sleep. So that late-night mug of warm milk isn’t just comforting—it’s scientifically sound.
Another hormone important in the circadian cycle is serotonin. Diets low in tryptophan, the amino acid precursor to serotonin, are associated with longer wake periods, later sleep onset, and lower sleep efficiency. This amino acid is essential for serotonin production, so it’s helpful to eat foods that contain tryptophan to boost serotonin levels. Tryptophan can be found in salmon, eggs, cheese, turkey, tofu, pineapple, nuts, oats, and seeds. Because it’s most abundant in protein-rich foods, it’s processed effectively when paired with carbohydrates—especially after exercise. Remember, balance is key!
Caffeine plays a major role in many of our daily routines, but it also decreases the production of melatonin. This disruption of melatonin impairs the circadian rhythm and negatively affects both sleep onset and quality. High caffeine intake has become the norm, but it can chronically disturb sleep patterns. Research shows that caffeine can reduce total sleep time by more than an hour, even when consumed six hours before bedtime. The good news is that when caffeine is consumed in the morning, its levels drop to less than one-fifth of the initial amount after sixteen hours. So, if your morning cup of coffee helps you power through the day, there’s no need to give it up. Instead, try switching to an herbal tea in the afternoon to avoid stimulating your brain late into the night.
Heartburn is another common sleep disruptor we see in our clients. Eating fried, spicy, or highly processed foods near bedtime can trigger gastric reflux and interfere with rest. Opting for roasted, air-fried, or baked foods at dinner can help prevent this discomfort. There’s no need to skip a late-night burger run with friends occasionally, but if you experience reflux often, it may be worth making small changes. Other helpful tips include eating at least two hours before bedtime and avoiding lying down right after meals.
If you are struggling with insomnia and are interested in learning more about how your personal nutrition can be used to increase your ZZZs, contact us today!
Written by Trinny Duncan, Student Intern and Peggy Pratt, PhD, RDN, LDN, CEDS-C
References:
Meng, X. (2017). Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin. Nutrients, 9(4), 367. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9040367
Pattnaik, H., Mir, M., Boike, S., Kashyap, R., Khan, S. A., & Surani, S. (2022). Nutritional Elements in Sleep. Cureus, 14(12). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.32803
Serotonin. (2022). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin
Zelman, K. (2024, September 16). Foods High in Melatonin. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-in-melatonin