#insomnia #healthy sleep #healthy eating

Eating to… Sleep!

October 28, 2025

3 min read

Food in the stomach activates the parasympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for our relaxation. It puts the body into "rest and digest" mode. As the body focuses all of its resources on digestion, we feel pleasantly relaxed and sleepy.

Key takeaways

Food in the stomach activates the parasympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for our relaxation.
Overeating is one reason for poor sleep
Hunger is another reason for poor sleep

Who this is for

People exploring Healthy lifestyle through insomnia, healthy sleep.

Why it matters

This piece helps you get oriented quickly, then move into a collection or series if you want to keep going.

Article author

Dr. Michael

Somnologist

Overeating is one reason for poor sleep

Too much food creates a feeling of heaviness, discomfort in the stomach, and increased gas. Instead of engaging in body repair, the brain is distracted by the signals of an overfilled gastrointestinal tract, especially if you ate coarse fiber, meat and legumes. You should eat a hearty dinner at least 3-4 hours before bedtime.

Hunger is another reason for poor sleep

Hunger prevents sleep, reduces the quality of sleep and provokes a premature awakening. It also prevents both the feeling of hunger and the lack of nutrients for the production of melatonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is responsible for maintaining sleep.

You can snack

Research confirms that a light snack an hour before bedtime in combination — such as carbs plus some animal fat, such as a piece of cheese — promotes good sleep. Carbohydrates help the brain produce melatonin, and fats help produce testosterone and growth hormone. However, not all carbs are appropriate — for example, rice and potatoes help you sleep, but bread and pasta do not.

Avoid coffee and tea

Caffeine is invigorating and interferes with sleep and sleep quality. The right solution is to drink less coffee and strong tea, especially in the afternoon. In the evening it is better to drink water, milk, and herbal teas with a soothing effect based on mint, chamomile, etc.

Eat a piece of turkey

The amino acid tryptophan has been proven to help you fall asleep faster because it serves as a building block for melatonin and serotonin, which control mood and sleep. Tryptophan is found in hummus, turkey and chicken, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, fish, eggs, dairy products, bananas, and tofu. Tryptophan is absorbed much better with carbohydrates such as rice, cereal, vegetables, fruits.

Avoid alcohol

As a depressant, alcohol helps to sink into sleep, but in a superficial one. When its metabolization process ends, the body awakens before it has had time to rest. Even if you don't wake up in the middle of the night, you still won't get much sleep. Therefore, you should drink less and finish drinking earlier in the day. Alcohol is absorbed and excreted faster if you drink it before dinner.

You can eat sweets

If you are not on a diet and can afford to drink herbal tea and candy in the evening, you will feel sleepy afterwards. Sugar causes neurons to decrease activity, which causes the feeling of fatigue. In addition, the body reacts to glucose by releasing insulin, a hormone that reduces it, and also provokes a lack of potassium in the blood, because it moves it into the cells. This mild hypokalemia makes your muscles weak, your eyelids heavy, and you feel tired.

Avoid cabbage and legumes

You should not eat foods that cause heartburn and gas in the intestines before going to bed. Otherwise, when you fall asleep, you will feel your stomach bloating and hear it rumbling. Avoid foods including legumes, beets, carrots, onions, cabbage, asparagus, tomato sauce and orange juice. Also avoid the following fruits: watermelon, peaches, apples, pears, and grapes.

You can eat foods with magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6

Magnesium and potassium relax muscles and nerves and stabilize the heart rate. They are found in bananas, nuts, and cereals. Foods high in vitamin B6 help synthesize sleep hormones. The vitamin is found in dairy products and eggs, and pistachios and prunes are champions of sleep stimulation due to their vitamin B6 and magnesium content. Therefore, the best meal before bedtime is natural yogurt with bananas, nuts, prunes and dates.

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