Eating the right foods that help you sleep just before bedtime will influence how well you snooze. The variety of foods one eats impacts one’s ability to sleep well. When these foods are eaten, they also play a significant role. A heavy meal, even healthy foods, can disrupt sleep. Ideally, both for rest and digestion, eating two to three hours before bed is not recommended.
The only thing those suffering from lack of sleep should consume before bed is a cup of malt beverage or sedative herbs with honey.
Top Foods that Help You Sleep
1. OATS: Oats provide carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and B vitamins necessary for the proper functions of the nervous system. Oats also contain a substance called avenin, which is a mild sedative. Oats can be eaten at supper as oatmeal or in a vegetable soup at least two hours before retiring. Eating oats regularly, including oat water, is highly beneficial in nervousness, fatigue or mental exhaustion, insomnia, and depression. On the other hand, It should be included in students’ diets, particularly at exam time; oats are the perfect food to avoid sleep while studying.
2. MALT BEVERAGE: What to drink before bed to help sleep? Among the many drinks that help you sleep, this is the best. It does not excite the nervous system like coffee, and it improves digestion. You can drink it hot with honey at bedtime. A nice hot malt beverage will be a great addition to any sleep drink recipe.
3. HONEY: Honey is one of those things to help you sleep because it has a mild sedative effect. It can be taken at night with an infusion from sedating plants such as valerian, linden blossom, hops, or malt beverage.
4. CARBOHYDRATES: A carbohydrate diet synthesizes tryptophan, an amino acid that the brain converts to serotonin, a soothing neurotransmitter.
5. LETTUCE: A supper based on a lettuce salad about two hours before retiring promotes sleep.
Foods to Avoid Before Bed
1. STIMULANT BEVERAGES: Because of their caffeine content, they excite the nervous system and make sleep difficult. The effect of a cup of coffee lasts from three to six hours.
2. CHOCOLATE: This is also a stimulant and interferes with sleep, making it one of the foods to avoid before bed.
3. SPICES: A supper consisting of hot, spicy foods is stimulant and interferes with sleep. Spices are among the top foods that disrupt sleep.
4. MEAT: Meat contains a stimulant; additionally, it is protein-rich. These can interfere with sleep.
5. MATURED CHEESES: These contain hypertensive amines stimulating the nervous system.
6. PROTEINS: Foods rich in proteins, particularly meat and matured cheeses, reduce tryptophan and serotonin production. This results in a certain level of excitation within the nervous system and interferes with sleep in sensitive individuals. This effect is more pronounced if these proteins are consumed for supper at night.
7. SOFT DRINKS: All carbonated drinks (with gas), particularly those containing caffeine, make sleep difficult, particularly for children.
DISCLAIMER: All content on this website is presented solely for educational and informational objectives. You should not rely on the information provided as a replacement for advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified medical expert. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have any preexisting medical concerns, you should talk to your doctor before using any herbal or natural medicines.
REFERENCES
- George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. “Encyclopedia of Foods and Their Healing Power.” George D. Pamplona-Roger, M.D. Encyclopedia of Foods and Their Healing Power. Trans. Annette Melgosa. Vol. 2. Chai Wan: Editorial Safeliz, 2005. 33, 43. Print. [Foods that help you sleep]
- National Sleep Foundation: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/
- Cleveland Clinic: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/
- Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/
Last update on 2025-04-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API