3 Eating-related Choices That Can Impact Sleep

When you're tired, you might have a decreased desire to make healthy food choices, and you may crave high-fat, high-sugar comfort foods for an energy boost. This leads to consuming more calories than you would normally. In addition, people with late bedtimes might end up consuming more calories if they are eating to stay awake (for work or other reasons). Increased calorie intake =  higher risk for weight gain. Here are three eating-related  tips to consider for optimal sleep: 

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1. Timing of meals

Have you ever heard the saying “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper”? The idea behind this saying is that your body needs energy to function throughout the day, and the morning / midday is the best time to consume the most calories, rather than saving your largest meal for the evening when we are less active. Insulin sensitivity is more sensitive in the morning.

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How to do it: 

• Establish consistent eating patterns during the day, which will prevent the majority of your calorie consumption in the evening. 
• Close the kitchen down at least 2-3 hours before bed. Eating heavy meals too close to bedtime may cause indigestion, which can be disruptive to sleep.
• Limit fluid intake before bed. Drinking too many fluids during the evening can cause frequent awakenings during the night to urinate.

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2. Avoid That Nightcap

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Since alcohol is a sedative, you might think that it’s best to drink alcohol right before bed, to help you sleep. The truth is, alcohol-induced sleep is not restorative. Alcohol consumption too close to bedtime can suppress REM sleep, decreasing your sleep quality. People also tend to wake up in the middle of the night when the effects of the alcohol have worn off. Heavy alcohol ingestion may also impair breathing at night. 

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• It’s best to cut off alcohol consumption 4 hours before bedtime to minimize sleep disruptions and give your liver enzymes the time to metabolize the alcohol. 
• Consider brewing some flavored herbal tea and drinking it out of your favorite mug. There’s even a “sleepytime” tea which contains chamomile, an herb known for its calming and sedative properties. 

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3. Caffeine

Caffeine, which is a stimulant, peaks in the bloodstream within 30 minutes after consumption. The “half life” of caffeine is about 5-7 hours. This means that within 5-7 hours after consumption, the body will have removed 50% of the caffeine. 

• Aim to make caffeinated beverages a morning-only drink and stick to non-caffeinated beverages in the afternoon and evening. 
• Best to minimize caffeine intake ideally by 12pm (2pm at the latest) to ensure it’s not going to keep you up. As people age, they become more sensitive to the effects of caffeine (it takes longer for caffeine to leave the body).

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Final thoughts:

Sleep deprivation and food are closely linked, as your eating habits can impact your sleep quality, and vice versa. If you're looking to improve your sleep, tweaking your diet might be a good place to start.

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