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Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and starchy vegetables, provide valuable amounts of nutrients and fiber. Carbohydrates also boost serotonin, a "feel good" brain chemical associated with calmness and positive moods. If you struggle with anxiety, restlessness or other emotional factors, a bedtime snack containing complex carbohydrates can help ensure a restful night's sleep. Complex carbohydrates are also satiating and can help prevent hunger during the night. Valuable sources of complex carbohydrates include whole-grain breads and cereals, brown rice, wild rice, air-popped popcorn, oatmeal, sweet potatoes and squash. The Mayo Clinic recommends cereal with low-fat milk or yogurt topped with granola, which often contains oats, as valuable bedtime snack options
Tryptophan-Rich Foods
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid---the building blocks of protein---that plays a significant role in your nervous system and ability to experience relaxation and restfulness. According to a report published in "Neuroscience & Behavioral Reviews" in February 2010, tryptophan is positively correlated with improved moods and sleep in adults with sleep difficulties. Tryptophan is present in a variety of healthy foods, including chicken and turkey breasts, tuna, soybeans, beef, lamb, salmon, shrimp, halibut, snapper and dairy products. Consume tryptophan-rich foods with carbohydrates, which trigger these relaxing effects. Bedtime snacks containing tryptophan include low-fat tuna salad served on whole-grain crackers; a turkey sandwich made with whole-grain bread; and edamame (steamed, podded soybeans).
Comfort Foods
"Comfort foods" provide emotionally soothing effects. You may crave comfort foods during times of stress, while missing a loved one or after spending time in chilly temperatures. In an interview with CBS News in September 2003, Arizona State University professor Jeff Hampl suggested eating foods that remind you of pleasant childhood memories when stressful emotions prevent you from sleeping. If your preferred comfort food is high in fat, sugar or calories, Hampl suggests creating a healthier alternative, such as cinnamon-spiced oatmeal or low-fat pudding in place of caramel-topped s'mores. Additional bedtime snacks that may provide comfort include a slice of veggie pizza, a low-fat bran muffin drizzled with honey and air-popped popcorn.
Healthy Foods To Eat Before Bed | LIVESTRONG.COM
When Hunger Strikes, Eat Something
When hunger hits it’s important to take note. A rumbling stomach can actually prevent you from falling asleep or wake you up mid-slumber. It can also increase the risk of burning lean muscle while you sleep. Plus, not giving into your body’s natural hunger cues at night can drain your energy in the morning, causing you to overeat later in the day. A light snack of about 200 calories is substantial enough to keep hunger pangs at bay throughout the night, but not so heavy that it will disrupt your sleep or cause weight gain, explains dietitian Lisa Moskovitz, owner of Manhattan-based dietetic practice Your New York Dietitian.
Healthy Late-Night Eats
When picking a late-night treat, it’s important to choose something filling enough to satisfy your appetite until morning, but also healthy, so you don't derail your diet. Cottage cheese is ideal before bed. It contains casein protein, which releases slowly into the body, warding off hunger. Cottage cheese also offers a steady supply of amino acids through the night, which aid in muscle building and recovery, says Moskovitz. Add a tablespoon of natural peanut butter to this snack to increase digestion time, helping to control hunger even longer. Microwaved reduced-fat popcorn is another great bedtime snack. Try a 100-calorie mini bag and add a punch of flavor with a tablespoon of Parmesan sprinkled cheese.
Eat Before Bed for Better Sleep
The best way to catch more shut eye is to calm the brain by cueing it that it’s time for sleep. One way to do this is with food. Combating insomnia with cuisine is all about eating the right combination of foods with snooze-boosting capabilities. Tryptophan, the sedative found in turkey, responsible for Thanksgiving Day drowsiness, helps the body make serotonin. This neurotransmitter causes feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. Pairing a source of tryptophan with a carbohydrate-rich food makes the effects all the more powerful. Carbohydrates help rid the blood of amino acids that compete with tryptophan, allowing more of the sedative to enter the brain and helping you catch more Zs, explains Moskovitz.
Snacks That Help You Snooze
A great sleep-inducing snack is Greek yogurt with honey and a sliced banana. Yogurt, honey and bananas all contain tryptophan. Bananas are also rich in sleep-promoting potassium and are a good source of carbohydrates. Although most commonly considered a breakfast option, whole-wheat cereal and skim milk is a perfect bedtime snack and has an excellent balance of both protein and carbohydrates. Other smart nighttime noshes include half a turkey or peanut butter sandwich. If you’re looking for a drink to help you doze, chug some cherry juice. The tart fruit increases melatonin in the body, a hormone that makes you feel tired.
Things to Eat Before Bed | Healthy Eating | SF Gate
Nighttime Energy Needs
The main argument against eating at night centers around the myth that the body does not need energy at night and stores anything you eat as fat. Though the body's metabolic rate decreases at night, the body still burns energy.
Exercise causes damage to muscle tissue which the body treats as an injury. Exercise breaks muscle tissue down while recovery builds muscle tissue up. The recovery process heals the muscle making it bigger and stronger. Much of the recovery process happens during sleep, increasing the body's need for energy. Ignoring nighttime nutrition leads to a longer recovery phase, slowing down your progress.
Slow Digesting Foods
The best option for nighttime meals are foods that digest slowly. Slow digestion helps your body better utilize the energy throughout the entire night rather than all at once. Good examples include complex carbs (100% whole wheat products, brown rice, beans, vegetables, legumes), lean proteins (chicken breast, eggs, low-fat dairy products - milk, cottage cheese, tuna, protein shakes that contain casein) and unsaturated fats (seafood, olive & canola oils, peanut butter, nuts, seeds).
Body Fat/Unwanted Weight Gain
Those who argue against eating late claim nighttime calories lead to unwanted weight gain. The truth is unwanted weight gain happens because of a calorie surplus; eating too much throughout the entire day. The relationship between how many calories you burn and how many you eat (known as calorie balance) controls weight; how many calories you eat is more important than when you eat your calories.
If you are trying to lose weight, you need to first figure out how many calories you burn each day. The calorie calculator can help you estimate your daily needs. Next, start counting your calories (MyFitnessPal). Ensure you eat less than you burn (by about 500-1,000 calories per day) and the weight will come off.
The Bottom Line
Eating the right foods before you go to sleep helps your body recover from muscle damage more efficiently. Eating at night does not lead to unwanted weight gain; eating too much throughout the day does.
What is a good food to eat before bed?
. Opt for small snack portions (200 calories or less) of easily digestible foods instead.
To learn about some healthy bedtime snacks that will also help you sleep better, keep reading!
The best snacks to have before bedtime are those that are low in calories, but also contain the amino acid tryptophan, which helps the body create niacin and serotonin (the calming "feel-good") hormone. Pairing carbohydrates with some protein can make for a nice light bedtime snack. Here are some healthy options:
1 cup of plain oatmeal with 1 sliced banana (171 calories)
1 cup of Corn Flakes with 1 cup of fat-free skim milk (192 calories)
1 banana with 1 tablespoon of creamy no salt peanut butter (184 calories)
1 slice of whole wheat toast topped with 1 small slice of low-fat cheddar cheese (117 calories)
1 rice cake topped with 1 tomato slice and 1 slice turkey breast (60 calories)
Bananas are also known for promoting sleep, as research shows that potassium is an important mineral for deep sleep. They also contain tryptophan, which will help you drift into dreamland even quicker. Other serotonin-inducing foods include poultry, oats, and honey. So try subbing-in some of these foods into your late night snack whenever possible.
Healthy Bedtime Snacks
Tryptophan is that amino acid we all associate with going into a food coma during Thanksgiving dinner. It converts to serotonin and melatonin, the brain’s natural relaxation chemicals. Aside from turkey, it’s actually found in a slew of other foods, too. “Things like bananas, nuts, seeds, honey and eggs typically have more tryptophan in them,” explains Freedman.
And that’s not the only nutrient to look for when trying to get more shut-eye.
Complex carbohydrates are important too, notes YouBeauty Nutrition Advisor Kristin Kirkpatrick, R.D., because they also promote serotonin.
“Most people choose carbs when they’re stressed because they want to feel good,” she says. “But that can mean some really unhealthy choices, like donuts, even though they increase serotonin. You get sugars and carbs and open up those feel-good hormones, only to be followed by a sugar crash.” That crash can cause us to wake up during the night.
So instead, Kirkpatrick suggests opting for healthier carbs to boost those relaxation hormones -- namely, whole grain foods such as whole wheat crackers, beans and whole grain pastas.
Want the most bang for your buck? “If you mix the tryptophan foods with a healthy high-carb foods, that actually ensures the tryptophan will stay in your system longer,” explains Freedman.
Of course, if you have chronic insomnia, loading your plate with these sleep-inducing foods won’t cure it. But if you have a little trouble settling down at night, adjusting your diet is worth a shot. Kirkpatrick says her “perfect sleep menu” includes a small portion of 100 percent whole grain pasta with turkey meatballs for dinner and a handful of nuts for a light snack before bed.
Here are a few other sleep-promoting bedtime snacks you can nibble on an hour before you hit the hay:
1. Banana and nuts.
Have half of a banana with a handful of your favorite nuts. “You’re getting tryptophan and carbs,” says Freedman. “It’s a great mix.”
2. Crackers and peanut butter.
Get a few whole wheat crackers and spread on some all-natural peanut butter for a mix of complex carbs and protein with tryptophan.
3. A bowl of cereal.
The milk contains tryptophan and the whole-grain cereal adds the complementary complex carbs. Just be sure to ditch the Captain Crunch -- avoiding sugar helps prevent a sleep-disruptive blood sugar crash during the night.
4. Cheese stick.
Munching on a low-fat cheese stick before bed supplies tryptophan. Plus, a lean protein can leave you calm and less frazzled while keeping your blood sugar on an even keel during the night, according to Kirkpatrick.
Just be sure to eat dinner at least three hours before bedtime and have a snooze-inducing snack about an hour before you climb under the sheets. You don’t want to go to bed full or completely hungry—both can disrupt your sleep. Instead, try to find a happy medium and you may just get a more blissful slumber.
Eat These Foods For A Better Night's Sleep
Complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains and starchy vegetables, provide valuable amounts of nutrients and fiber. Carbohydrates also boost serotonin, a "feel good" brain chemical associated with calmness and positive moods. If you struggle with anxiety, restlessness or other emotional factors, a bedtime snack containing complex carbohydrates can help ensure a restful night's sleep. Complex carbohydrates are also satiating and can help prevent hunger during the night. Valuable sources of complex carbohydrates include whole-grain breads and cereals, brown rice, wild rice, air-popped popcorn, oatmeal, sweet potatoes and squash. The Mayo Clinic recommends cereal with low-fat milk or yogurt topped with granola, which often contains oats, as valuable bedtime snack options
Tryptophan-Rich Foods
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid---the building blocks of protein---that plays a significant role in your nervous system and ability to experience relaxation and restfulness. According to a report published in "Neuroscience & Behavioral Reviews" in February 2010, tryptophan is positively correlated with improved moods and sleep in adults with sleep difficulties. Tryptophan is present in a variety of healthy foods, including chicken and turkey breasts, tuna, soybeans, beef, lamb, salmon, shrimp, halibut, snapper and dairy products. Consume tryptophan-rich foods with carbohydrates, which trigger these relaxing effects. Bedtime snacks containing tryptophan include low-fat tuna salad served on whole-grain crackers; a turkey sandwich made with whole-grain bread; and edamame (steamed, podded soybeans).
Comfort Foods
"Comfort foods" provide emotionally soothing effects. You may crave comfort foods during times of stress, while missing a loved one or after spending time in chilly temperatures. In an interview with CBS News in September 2003, Arizona State University professor Jeff Hampl suggested eating foods that remind you of pleasant childhood memories when stressful emotions prevent you from sleeping. If your preferred comfort food is high in fat, sugar or calories, Hampl suggests creating a healthier alternative, such as cinnamon-spiced oatmeal or low-fat pudding in place of caramel-topped s'mores. Additional bedtime snacks that may provide comfort include a slice of veggie pizza, a low-fat bran muffin drizzled with honey and air-popped popcorn.
Healthy Foods To Eat Before Bed | LIVESTRONG.COM
When Hunger Strikes, Eat Something
When hunger hits it’s important to take note. A rumbling stomach can actually prevent you from falling asleep or wake you up mid-slumber. It can also increase the risk of burning lean muscle while you sleep. Plus, not giving into your body’s natural hunger cues at night can drain your energy in the morning, causing you to overeat later in the day. A light snack of about 200 calories is substantial enough to keep hunger pangs at bay throughout the night, but not so heavy that it will disrupt your sleep or cause weight gain, explains dietitian Lisa Moskovitz, owner of Manhattan-based dietetic practice Your New York Dietitian.
Healthy Late-Night Eats
When picking a late-night treat, it’s important to choose something filling enough to satisfy your appetite until morning, but also healthy, so you don't derail your diet. Cottage cheese is ideal before bed. It contains casein protein, which releases slowly into the body, warding off hunger. Cottage cheese also offers a steady supply of amino acids through the night, which aid in muscle building and recovery, says Moskovitz. Add a tablespoon of natural peanut butter to this snack to increase digestion time, helping to control hunger even longer. Microwaved reduced-fat popcorn is another great bedtime snack. Try a 100-calorie mini bag and add a punch of flavor with a tablespoon of Parmesan sprinkled cheese.
Eat Before Bed for Better Sleep
The best way to catch more shut eye is to calm the brain by cueing it that it’s time for sleep. One way to do this is with food. Combating insomnia with cuisine is all about eating the right combination of foods with snooze-boosting capabilities. Tryptophan, the sedative found in turkey, responsible for Thanksgiving Day drowsiness, helps the body make serotonin. This neurotransmitter causes feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. Pairing a source of tryptophan with a carbohydrate-rich food makes the effects all the more powerful. Carbohydrates help rid the blood of amino acids that compete with tryptophan, allowing more of the sedative to enter the brain and helping you catch more Zs, explains Moskovitz.
Snacks That Help You Snooze
A great sleep-inducing snack is Greek yogurt with honey and a sliced banana. Yogurt, honey and bananas all contain tryptophan. Bananas are also rich in sleep-promoting potassium and are a good source of carbohydrates. Although most commonly considered a breakfast option, whole-wheat cereal and skim milk is a perfect bedtime snack and has an excellent balance of both protein and carbohydrates. Other smart nighttime noshes include half a turkey or peanut butter sandwich. If you’re looking for a drink to help you doze, chug some cherry juice. The tart fruit increases melatonin in the body, a hormone that makes you feel tired.
Things to Eat Before Bed | Healthy Eating | SF Gate
Nighttime Energy Needs
The main argument against eating at night centers around the myth that the body does not need energy at night and stores anything you eat as fat. Though the body's metabolic rate decreases at night, the body still burns energy.
Exercise causes damage to muscle tissue which the body treats as an injury. Exercise breaks muscle tissue down while recovery builds muscle tissue up. The recovery process heals the muscle making it bigger and stronger. Much of the recovery process happens during sleep, increasing the body's need for energy. Ignoring nighttime nutrition leads to a longer recovery phase, slowing down your progress.
Slow Digesting Foods
The best option for nighttime meals are foods that digest slowly. Slow digestion helps your body better utilize the energy throughout the entire night rather than all at once. Good examples include complex carbs (100% whole wheat products, brown rice, beans, vegetables, legumes), lean proteins (chicken breast, eggs, low-fat dairy products - milk, cottage cheese, tuna, protein shakes that contain casein) and unsaturated fats (seafood, olive & canola oils, peanut butter, nuts, seeds).
Body Fat/Unwanted Weight Gain
Those who argue against eating late claim nighttime calories lead to unwanted weight gain. The truth is unwanted weight gain happens because of a calorie surplus; eating too much throughout the entire day. The relationship between how many calories you burn and how many you eat (known as calorie balance) controls weight; how many calories you eat is more important than when you eat your calories.
If you are trying to lose weight, you need to first figure out how many calories you burn each day. The calorie calculator can help you estimate your daily needs. Next, start counting your calories (MyFitnessPal). Ensure you eat less than you burn (by about 500-1,000 calories per day) and the weight will come off.
The Bottom Line
Eating the right foods before you go to sleep helps your body recover from muscle damage more efficiently. Eating at night does not lead to unwanted weight gain; eating too much throughout the day does.
What is a good food to eat before bed?
. Opt for small snack portions (200 calories or less) of easily digestible foods instead.
To learn about some healthy bedtime snacks that will also help you sleep better, keep reading!
The best snacks to have before bedtime are those that are low in calories, but also contain the amino acid tryptophan, which helps the body create niacin and serotonin (the calming "feel-good") hormone. Pairing carbohydrates with some protein can make for a nice light bedtime snack. Here are some healthy options:
1 cup of plain oatmeal with 1 sliced banana (171 calories)
1 cup of Corn Flakes with 1 cup of fat-free skim milk (192 calories)
1 banana with 1 tablespoon of creamy no salt peanut butter (184 calories)
1 slice of whole wheat toast topped with 1 small slice of low-fat cheddar cheese (117 calories)
1 rice cake topped with 1 tomato slice and 1 slice turkey breast (60 calories)
Bananas are also known for promoting sleep, as research shows that potassium is an important mineral for deep sleep. They also contain tryptophan, which will help you drift into dreamland even quicker. Other serotonin-inducing foods include poultry, oats, and honey. So try subbing-in some of these foods into your late night snack whenever possible.
Healthy Bedtime Snacks
Tryptophan is that amino acid we all associate with going into a food coma during Thanksgiving dinner. It converts to serotonin and melatonin, the brain’s natural relaxation chemicals. Aside from turkey, it’s actually found in a slew of other foods, too. “Things like bananas, nuts, seeds, honey and eggs typically have more tryptophan in them,” explains Freedman.
And that’s not the only nutrient to look for when trying to get more shut-eye.
Complex carbohydrates are important too, notes YouBeauty Nutrition Advisor Kristin Kirkpatrick, R.D., because they also promote serotonin.
“Most people choose carbs when they’re stressed because they want to feel good,” she says. “But that can mean some really unhealthy choices, like donuts, even though they increase serotonin. You get sugars and carbs and open up those feel-good hormones, only to be followed by a sugar crash.” That crash can cause us to wake up during the night.
So instead, Kirkpatrick suggests opting for healthier carbs to boost those relaxation hormones -- namely, whole grain foods such as whole wheat crackers, beans and whole grain pastas.
Want the most bang for your buck? “If you mix the tryptophan foods with a healthy high-carb foods, that actually ensures the tryptophan will stay in your system longer,” explains Freedman.
Of course, if you have chronic insomnia, loading your plate with these sleep-inducing foods won’t cure it. But if you have a little trouble settling down at night, adjusting your diet is worth a shot. Kirkpatrick says her “perfect sleep menu” includes a small portion of 100 percent whole grain pasta with turkey meatballs for dinner and a handful of nuts for a light snack before bed.
Here are a few other sleep-promoting bedtime snacks you can nibble on an hour before you hit the hay:
1. Banana and nuts.
Have half of a banana with a handful of your favorite nuts. “You’re getting tryptophan and carbs,” says Freedman. “It’s a great mix.”
2. Crackers and peanut butter.
Get a few whole wheat crackers and spread on some all-natural peanut butter for a mix of complex carbs and protein with tryptophan.
3. A bowl of cereal.
The milk contains tryptophan and the whole-grain cereal adds the complementary complex carbs. Just be sure to ditch the Captain Crunch -- avoiding sugar helps prevent a sleep-disruptive blood sugar crash during the night.
4. Cheese stick.
Munching on a low-fat cheese stick before bed supplies tryptophan. Plus, a lean protein can leave you calm and less frazzled while keeping your blood sugar on an even keel during the night, according to Kirkpatrick.
Just be sure to eat dinner at least three hours before bedtime and have a snooze-inducing snack about an hour before you climb under the sheets. You don’t want to go to bed full or completely hungry—both can disrupt your sleep. Instead, try to find a happy medium and you may just get a more blissful slumber.
Eat These Foods For A Better Night's Sleep
