Diet and Sleep: Is Your Diet Affecting Your Sleep?

Written by Mallory Hagan and Jonathan Bailor, CEO SANESolution & Reviewed by Dr. Matthew Olesiak, MD Chief Medical Director, SANESolution

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Sleep has been a major battle for me. After struggling with this issue forever, I am finally sleeping normal hours thanks to my consistent workout schedule and improved health habits. I know I’m not the only person who struggles with this issue, which is why I’m excited to share this post I co-authored with Jonathan Bailor star of the BETTER movie and CEO of SANESolution.

For years I have struggled with sleep issues, regularly lying down to sleep only to toss and turn for hours. Falling asleep at 4 am on a regular basis and then trying to function properly the next day is for the birds. If you’re tossing and turning at night like I was, unable to get the amount and quality of sleep you need, your diet could be to blame.

Research suggests that extremes in the duration of sleep -- either too much or too little -- can alter hormonal levels, circadian rhythms, and sleep patterns that in turn increase the intake of certain foods and nutrients.(1)

This means that the foods you eat may be preventing you from sleeping well and, in turn, sleep deprivation is likely causing you to eat more of the same foods...causing a vicious, unhealthy cycle. Even worse? If you don’t know this is what is happening, it can be extremely difficult to fix.

Though experts recommend that most people should get seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night, 35.2% of U.S. adults report sleeping less than 7 hours on average.(2) Sleep deprivation can be harmful to your health and, in some situations, dangerous to your life or that of others.

For example, up to 6,000 fatal car crashes every year may be caused by sleep-deprived drivers.(3) Sleep deprivation is also associated with cognitive dysfunction, anxiety, depression, dementia, heart problems, obesity, and many more conditions.(4)

Improve Your Sleep with your Diet

Research shows that a well-balanced diet that includes plenty of nutrient dense foods and limits sugars and heavily processed foods -- what we call a SANE diet -- supports regulated sleep. In addition, these specific foods may promote lengthy and restful sleep according to research:

Fatty fish contains omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, both of which have been shown to increase production of serotonin that may improve sleep quality. (5)

Leafy green vegetables like spinach are rich sources of magnesium, a nutrient that helps regulate sleep.(6)

Turkey and pork chops contain high levels of L-tryptophan, an amino acid that has been shown to reduce sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep). Research suggests it may also significantly increase REM sleep.(7)

In addition to eating sleep-promoting foods, you should refrain from eating anything 2-3 hours before bedtime, as the digestive process can disrupt sleep. You should also refrain from eating or drinking anything containing caffeine, as its stimulant effect can delay sleep.