I don’t know about you, but I love to sleep. I look forward to getting back into bed as soon as I get out of it in the morning! On the other side of that, I really, really hate it when I can’t fall asleep or I am tossing and turning all night. GRRRR! If this has ever happened to you, did you ever consider that it might be what you ate for dinner or a late snack?

Yes, it’s true. What you eat and when you eat it may be affecting your sleep. Let’s not wait any longer so you can make any needed adjustments and go off into dreamland tonight. Ready? Let’s dig in!

Why is sleep so important?

We all need our beauty sleep every day. Exactly how much may vary from person to person, but usually anywhere from 6-8 hours is recommended. It is the body’s time to work without interruption on maintenance and recovery which will in turn provide energy during your awake hours.

Not only does a good night’s sleep provide energy, it also helps with productivity, performance, concentration and cognition. There are studies linking sleep to weight gain and calorie control as well. [1] If that’s not a good reason to get some good sleep time in, I don’t know what is. 

What may be keeping me up?

There are many reasons why you may not be able to sleep. Here is a list of just a few that could be challenging that restful night.

1. Stress – this may be the number one reason most people struggle with sleep. Unfortunately, we all have it at one point or another. My mom calls it “monkey brain”. I usually have it when I have a big decision to make or a big project or presentation to do. It drives me crazy to the point that sometimes, I will just get up at 4:00 am and do stuff around the house or jot notes pertaining to whatever it is that’s keeping me up. Ugh!
2. Screen Time – Yes, your computers, phones, tablets, and TV may be the cause of that restless night. The blue light in these devices makes your brain think it is time to “wake up” not sleep making it that much harder to doze off when you are ready. [2] It is recommended that you are off all devices at least 1 hour, more if possible, before turning in for the night.
3. Food Choices – The food choices you make before going to bed are very important if you want to sleep through the night. This includes beverages as well, such as alcohol or sodas. Keep reading and we will get into more specifics.
4. Traveling – Traveling throws us all off with time changes, excitement and just a whole different schedule. This is unavoidable, but something to be aware of if you are not sleeping well while on vacation. 
5. Irregular sleep schedule – If your life is just crazy all the time due to inconsistent work schedules or personal entertainment, you may be on an irregular sleep schedule. If you are not going to sleep at a consistent time each day, your circadian rhythm gets thrown off hence sleeping becomes a challenge. 

Now that you know some reasons why you may not be sleeping, let’s jump into foods that may help or halt dozing off into dreamland.

What foods can help me sleep?

There are a number of good choices of foods that may be helpful when it comes to being able to go to sleep with ease. You may notice that most of these foods are also recommended in a healthy, well-balanced diet.

For a full list, sign up below and receive your PDF of foods that help and foods that halt sleep.

• Walnuts – these contain the amino acid tryptophan which aids in the production of melatonin and seratonin, both key to sleeping well.
• Salmon – along with all the other benefits of salmon, helping you sleep is just one more. Salmon is high in vitamin B6 which is necessary for the production of both melatonin and seratonin.
• Chamomile Tea – I’m sure you have all heard about this one. It is known for its relaxing affect on the body which helps you sleep.
• Turkey – Again, we’ve all heard this one. Turkey is high in tryptophan as well which is the reason everyone always needs a nap after Thanksgiving dinner. Well, that and the fact that most of us probably ate way more than we should have in one sitting.

Although these foods are healthy choices, it is still important to allow your body plenty of time for the digestive process to begin before going to bed. It is recommended that you allow at least 2 hours before going to bed after eating.

There are a few circumstances where this may be different such as if you have diabetes and need a small snack before bed to maintain your insulin levels throughout the night or if you are on a medication that requires a snack before bed. 

What foods may halt my sleep?

In addition to foods that may help your sleep, there are also many foods that may have the opposite effect. Here is a short list of some of those foods. 

For a full list, sign up above and receive your PDF of foods that help and foods that halt sleep.

• Grapefruit – this is a very acidic food which could give you heartburn.
• Celery – this is a natural diuretic. This means you may be up and down throughout the night to use the bathroom.
• Pizza – disappointing to many, I know, but pizza is very high in fat which means it will digest very slowly. During the day, this isn’t a bad thing as there is time for it to move through your system, but it can potentially be a problem if you eat it before bed. 

Again, these foods may not effect sleep as much if you give your body at least 2 or more hours to begin the digestive process before hitting the pillow.

In summary, if you want a good night sleep, pay attention to the following:

1. What might be causing your sleep disruption?
2. How long before you go to bed are you eating?
3. What are you eating?

Once you begin to pay attention and make the adjustments, counting sheep may be no more!

I look forward to hearing about any tricks you may have that help you sleep and any experiences you may have had that kept you awake.

Sweet Dreams!