Eating before bed: what, when & how much is healthy?

Whether, what and how much one should eat before bed is disputed even among experts and, as is so often the case, this seems to be a question of individual preference. While some people report falling into a kind of ‘food coma’ after particularly large meals, others say that dinner has a negative effect on their sleep.

If you are still unsure what to eat in the evenings, it’s best to try small, easily digestible meals. Instead of fatty fast foods or bloating raw foods and legumes, try steamed or boiled vegetables with some lean meat or fish. If you prefer something sweet, you can also eat a portion of yoghurt with fruit or the classic wholemeal bread with jam.

Important: if you know you have an intolerance to certain foods, such as gluten or lactose, it is important to avoid these, especially in the evenings. Otherwise, repeated trips to the toilet or excessive flatulence could severely affect your sleep.

The sleep hormone melatonin is essential for getting sleepy in the evenings and being able to fall asleep easily. You can stimulate melatonin production by dimming the lights, for example, but also by eating certain foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan. These include, for example:

• Chia and flaxseed

• Sunflower seeds

• Cashews

• Peanuts

• Soya beans

• Cheese

• Meat & fish

The tryptophan in these foods not only stimulates melatonin production, but is also a precursor to serotonin, the ‘happiness hormone’. If you often suffer from low moods in the evenings, or are kept awake by worries and spiralling thoughts, the foods listed above may also help to alleviate these problems.

Just as there are foods that can help you get to sleep, there are also others that shouldn’t end up on your plate in the evenings. As already mentioned above, your evening meal shouldn’t include very fatty foods that are heavy on the stomach.

In particular, the combination of sugar and fat, as found in crisps, chocolate and other fast foods, prevents most people from sleeping well. The same applies to very spicy food, which is harder to digest, and also increases your adrenaline levels and body temperature.

Of course, you should also avoid caffeinated stimulants such as coffee, cola or energy drinks in the evenings. Did you know that even dark chocolate contains small amounts of caffeine? Similarly, drinking green and black tea or alcoholic beverages just before bedtime is not a good idea.

In the evening, it’s not only what you eat that’s important, but also how much you eat. After all, if your body is busy metabolising large amounts of food, there is a high risk that you will have more trouble falling asleep and wake up more often. In addition, you may experience abdominal pain or an over-active digestive system, which can interfere with your sleep.

To avoid having to go to bed too hungry or too full, you should make sure you eat enough during the day. You might also want to add a few small snacks after lunch, so you can have a smaller meal before bedtime. If you are still hungry in the evening, eat some more vegetables, fruit or lean meat and avoid extra starch or fats.

Another key factor to a restful night’s sleep is the timing of your dinner. If you eat right before bed, you will probably fall asleep later. This is also due to your metabolism, which naturally works hard immediately after eating.

The most strenuous digestive work is done after about two hours – this time should be at least halfway between your dinner and your bedtime. In fact, the ideal time to eat your last meal of the day is actually about four hours before you go to bed. Read on to learn what you can do between dinner and bedtime to support your metabolism and wind down for sleep.

If you eat your last meal of the day four hours before bed, you’re left with a long period of time that you can spend wisely on a calming evening routine. Ideally, you should try to fit in some light exercise immediately after dinner. This stimulates your digestion and metabolism, while also allowing you to use up your remaining energy reserves so that you can fall asleep more easily.

However, you should avoid any intensive exercise in the evenings, as a raised heart rate will make you feel more awake rather than sleepy. It would be better to take a short walk after dinner or prepare for sleep with a yoga session. You can also start dimming the lights and enjoy a soothing cup of tea.

Discover more topics from our blog that might interest you: