You probably already know that a bad night's sleep boosts hormones that promote hunger, meaning you're more likely to overeat the next day. But now a new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine says it goes the other way, too: What you eat can wreck your sleep. (Take back control of your eating—and lose weight in the process—with our 21-Day Challenge!)
The researchers found that when the study participants ate a diet high in fiber, low in saturated fat (red meat and cheese), and adequate in protein, not only did they fall asleep faster that evening, but they also slept sounder and deeper—they spent more time in restorative slow-wave sleep—and therefore felt more refreshed the following day. When the volunteers ate a diet higher in fat and sugar and lower in fiber, they took almost twice as long to fall asleep and spent 16% less time in slow-wave sleep. (Here are 7 reasons you're tired all the time.)
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"The influence of fiber is new," says Carl Bazil, MD, director of the Division of Epilepsy and Sleep at Columbia University's medical school. He actually quit the Atkins diet because he felt the high-fat content led to fitful sleep. In addition to limiting caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals near bedtime, poor sleepers should take a look at their diet, Bazil says. "Avoiding heavy-fat meals and encouraging fiber is worth recommending." (Check out these other foods that are the worst for sleep.)
- Cut back on red meat and fill your plate with fibrous whole grains and quinoa, lentils, or barley instead. One cup of barley has 32 grams of fiber.
- Bulk up soups and salads by adding nuts, seeds, kidney beans, black beans, peas, or lentils. They'll add protein and fiber, plus, like turkey, they're rich in the amino acid tryptophan, says Nikki Ostrower of Nao Nutrition in New York City. Tryptophan stimulates production of serotonin and melatonin, both of which can encourage a good night's sleep.
- Don't skimp on veggies. Leafy greens are not only fibrous, they're also rich in magnesium, which helps calm you down, says Ostrower.
- Eat fruit with peels instead of sugar for dessert, she says. (Into clean eating? Here are 5 clean eating foods for a full night's sleep.)
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"Whatever you eat, don't eat too late," says Ostrower. Take your last bite at least a couple of hours before bedtime, she recommends. "You need the body to focus on rest and recuperation while you're sleeping, not digestion."
