Better Sleep? The Role of Nutrition and More Tips for a Good Night's Rest

14 september 2021

Do you often lie awake at night or find it difficult to fall asleep? You are not alone! Over 25% of Dutch people struggle with sleep. Poor sleep can have various causes such as:

Stress or excessive worrying
Exercising late in the evening
Physical complaints such as itching, breathlessness, nocturnal urination, pain
Too much screen time
Bedroom is too warm, too light or not quiet enough

You may have already investigated why you have poor sleep but perhaps not considered the role nutrition plays in this. Research has shown that your diet affects your sleep quality. Not only what you eat, but also when and how much you eat can have a positive or negative effect on your rest during the night.

Foods That Keep You Awake

It turns out that consuming too many refined sugars (granulated sugar, caster sugar, brown sugar) just before bed causes you to wake up more often at night, and eating saturated fats makes it harder to achieve a deep sleep. Many people may already know this, but it's still good to mention some products containing refined sugars and/or saturated fats:

biscuits
sweets
breakfast cereals such as muesli and cornflakes
pastries
chocolate
processed meats
sweet spreads
sauces
bread
crackers
crisps
savoury snacks
fried food

Additives as Sleep Disruptors

It's best to avoid packaged foods as they are heavily processed and contain not only sugars and unhealthy fats but also additives. Especially concerning your sleep quality, some additives should definitely be avoided. One of the most well-known is E621 (monosodium glutamate - MSG), which is used as a flavour enhancer in foods like sauces, crisps, Maggi, and stock cubes. E621 can cause sleep problems even at low intake if you are sensitive to it. It's best to avoid E621 and carefully check labels for other names for this additive, such as:

Yeast extract
Ve-tsin
Added yeast
Hydrolysed (soy) protein

Caffeine

A more well-known culprit regarding sleep problems is caffeine. Not only coffee but also black tea, cola, (dark) chocolate, and energy drinks contain caffeine. Are you a poor sleeper? Then it's better to avoid these drinks after 3:00 PM. It's best to (temporarily) avoid them altogether and, for example, not eat dark chocolate in the evening.

Spicy food raises your body temperature and stimulates brain activity, making it harder to fall asleep and causing more restlessness during the night.

Spicy and Heavily Seasoned Foods

Research has shown that spicy and heavily seasoned foods can also lead to a restless night. Spicy food raises your body temperature and stimulates brain activity, making it harder to fall asleep and causing more restlessness during the night. Additionally, spicy foods can sometimes cause digestive issues that keep you awake during the night.

Nightcaps

You might think while reading this article; if you can't sleep, why not have a nice nightcap? Alcohol indeed makes you feel relaxed and drowsy, but although it may help you fall asleep, it negatively affects sleep quality. Alcohol prevents you from entering the deepest stage of sleep, known as REM sleep, which is the final phase of your sleep cycle where all stimuli and information from the day are processed. Additionally, alcohol can cause you to wake up more frequently during the night.

Nutrition Tips for a Good Night's Sleep

Consume enough fibre, vitamins, and minerals (read: at least 400 grams of vegetables per day).
Don't eat too late in the evening! A full stomach means an active digestion which can keep you awake.
Avoid foods in the evening that can cause digestive issues such as bloating. Restless, bloated intestines also lead to restless sleep.
Consume enough protein from tempeh, quark, legumes, organic chicken or meat.
Eat (especially in the evening) easily digestible meals to relieve the digestive system.
Eat meals that keep blood sugar levels stable. Fluctuating blood sugar levels are associated with sleep problems.

Written by: Noëlle van Seggelen