A good night's sleep can sometimes feel harder to come by as we get older. You may find yourself waking more often during the night, getting tired earlier in the evening or simply not sleeping quite as soundly as you once did.
Food isn't the only thing that affects sleep, but what you eat and drink during the day - and particularly in the evening - can play a part.
That doesn't mean you need to start buying unusual ingredients or following a complicated bedtime diet. In fact, some of the best choices are familiar foods you may already enjoy.
Whether you prefer an early evening meal, don't like cooking later in the day or occasionally find yourself hungry before bed, here's a practical guide to what to eat - and what to think about - for a more comfortable night's sleep.
Can What You Eat Really Affect Your Sleep?
Yes, although there isn't one particular food guaranteed to make you fall asleep.
Sleep is affected by lots of things, including your routine, activity levels, medications, caffeine, alcohol, health conditions and how comfortable you are at night.
Food is just one part of the picture.
What you eat can, however, affect how comfortable you feel at bedtime. A very large or rich evening meal may leave you feeling overly full, while going to bed hungry can be distracting too.
The aim is to find an evening routine that leaves you comfortably satisfied rather than either hungry or uncomfortably full.
What Are the Best Foods to Eat Before Bed?
If you're hungry in the evening, a small, simple snack is often more sensible than another full meal.
Some foods commonly associated with sleep contain nutrients such as tryptophan, magnesium or melatonin. These nutrients are involved in processes connected with sleep, although eating one particular food won't necessarily make you sleepy.
Good bedtime snack ideas can include:
- A banana
- A small bowl of porridge
- Plain yoghurt with a little fruit
- A slice of wholegrain toast
- A small glass or mug of milk
- A small handful of unsalted nuts, if they're suitable for you
The important word here is small. If you're eating shortly before bed, you probably don't need another large meal.
Banana Before Bed: Does It Help?
Bananas are one of the most commonly searched-for foods when it comes to sleep.
They contain nutrients including potassium and magnesium, as well as carbohydrates and a small amount of tryptophan.
That doesn't mean a banana will send you straight to sleep, but it's a convenient, relatively light snack if you're feeling hungry later in the evening.
It's also easy to eat without any preparation, which can make it particularly useful when you don't want to start cooking again at the end of the day.
Does Warm Milk Help You Sleep?
A warm milky drink before bed is a tradition many of us will remember from childhood.
Milk contains tryptophan and small amounts of melatonin, although research hasn't shown that an ordinary glass of milk is a guaranteed sleep remedy.
There may also be something to be said for the routine itself. Sitting down with a warm, caffeine-free drink can be a relaxing way to signal that the day is coming to an end.
If you enjoy milk and it agrees with you, there's no reason why a small warm milky drink can't form part of your bedtime routine.
If milk doesn't suit you, simply choose an appropriate alternative rather than forcing yourself to drink something because it's supposed to help you sleep.
Is Porridge Before Bed a Good Choice?
A small bowl of porridge can be another comforting option if you're hungry in the evening.
Oats provide carbohydrate and fibre, and warm porridge can be filling without necessarily requiring a large portion.
Keep it simple. A small bowl with milk and perhaps a few slices of apple is likely to feel very different before bed from a large, heavily sweetened bowl with lots of extras.
Porridge can also be useful if you tend to eat your main evening meal early and occasionally become hungry again later.
What Should You Eat If You're Hungry Before Bed?
If you've eaten your evening meal several hours earlier, feeling a little hungry before bed isn't unusual.
You don't need to ignore genuine hunger, but you probably don't need to prepare another dinner either.
A small snack may be enough.
Choose something you know sits comfortably with you. If a particular food tends to cause indigestion, bloating or reflux, it's unlikely to be a good bedtime choice for you regardless of what a list of "sleep foods" says.
Is It Bad to Eat Before Bed?
Eating before bed isn't automatically bad.
The amount you eat, what you choose and how close it is to bedtime all matter.
A small snack because you're genuinely hungry is different from eating a large evening meal and immediately going to bed.
Large meals can leave some people feeling uncomfortable when they lie down, particularly if they're prone to indigestion or heartburn.
If you regularly find that eating late makes you uncomfortable, try having your main meal a little earlier or choosing a smaller portion in the evening.
How Long Before Bed Should You Stop Eating?
There isn't one exact time that works for everybody.
Many people find it more comfortable to leave a couple of hours between a substantial evening meal and going to bed. This gives you time to digest your food rather than lying down immediately after eating.
That doesn't mean you need to watch the clock anxiously.
If you normally eat dinner at 5.30pm and go to bed at 10pm, that's perfectly reasonable. If you prefer a later evening meal, you may simply find that a lighter portion suits you better.
Listen to how your own body responds rather than trying to follow an unnecessarily rigid rule.
Foods and Drinks to Avoid Before Bed
Again, there's no need for a long list of completely forbidden foods.
However, some things are more likely to interfere with a comfortable bedtime for certain people.
- Very large meals - These may leave you feeling uncomfortable or overly full.
- Rich or very fatty foods - These may contribute to indigestion for some people.
- Very spicy foods - Particularly if you know they trigger heartburn.
- Lots of sugary foods - These aren't the best choice for a regular bedtime snack.
- Caffeine - Tea, coffee, cola and chocolate can all contain caffeine.
- Alcohol - While it can make you feel sleepy initially, it can disrupt sleep later in the night.
Your own experience matters. If you know a particular food causes discomfort at night, that's more useful information than following a generic list.
Can Evening Tea Keep You Awake?
For many of us, a cup of tea is part of the evening routine.
It's worth remembering, though, that ordinary tea contains caffeine.
Caffeine can stay in the body for several hours, and some people are more sensitive to it than others. If you regularly have tea in the evening and struggle to fall asleep, it may be worth trying decaffeinated tea later in the day and seeing whether you notice a difference.
You don't necessarily have to give up your evening cuppa – just consider switching what goes in the cup.
Light Evening Meals When You Don't Want a Large Dinner
Not everybody wants a substantial meal in the evening.
Perhaps your appetite isn't as large as it used to be. Maybe you eat your main meal earlier in the day. Or perhaps you simply prefer something lighter as the evening approaches.
A lighter meal can still be enjoyable and satisfying.
Depending on your appetite, you might prefer:
- Soup with bread
- A smaller fish or chicken meal
- A jacket potato with a simple filling
- A lighter vegetable-based dish
- A smaller portion of one of your favourite traditional meals
Oakhouse Foods has long offered both light meals and soups as well as Mini Meals for smaller appetites, giving you the choice of a portion that suits how hungry you actually feel.
What If You Don't Want to Cook in the Evening?
A lot of advice about eating well assumes everyone wants to spend part of their evening chopping vegetables, preparing pans and cooking a meal from scratch.
That's simply not true.
You may have cooked for a family for years and decided you've done enough of it. You may live alone and find preparing several different ingredients for one plate hardly seems worth the trouble. Or perhaps standing in the kitchen for long periods isn't as comfortable as it once was.
Whatever the reason, there's nothing wrong with making mealtimes easier.
Keeping a selection of prepared meals in the freezer means you can decide what you fancy on the day rather than having to plan around ingredients that need using up.
Oakhouse Foods offers a wide choice of frozen meals, mini meals, soups and lighter dishes delivered directly to your home. Most meals can be prepared in the microwave or oven, so there's very little preparation or washing up involved.
Find out how Oakhouse Foods home delivery works.
A Simple Evening Routine
You don't need to turn bedtime into another complicated job.
A simple routine might look something like this:
- Enjoy an evening meal that's appropriate for your appetite.
- Try not to have a very large meal immediately before bed.
- Choose decaffeinated drinks later in the evening if caffeine affects you.
- If you're genuinely hungry later, have a small snack rather than another full meal.
- Give yourself some quiet time to wind down before going to bed.
- Try to keep roughly regular sleeping and waking times.
There's no need to get every evening exactly right. The aim is simply to find a routine that feels comfortable and works for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Food and Sleep
What foods help you sleep?
There isn't one food guaranteed to make you sleep. Foods containing nutrients such as tryptophan, magnesium or melatonin are often associated with sleep, including milk, bananas, oats, nuts, eggs and some fish. Your overall diet and bedtime routine matter more than any single food.
What should I eat before bed if I'm hungry?
If you're genuinely hungry, try a small, simple snack such as a banana, yoghurt, a little porridge, wholegrain toast or a milky drink. Choose something that you know is comfortable for you to digest.
Does a banana before bed help you sleep?
Bananas contain nutrients including magnesium, potassium and tryptophan, but there isn't strong evidence that eating a banana by itself will make you sleep. It can, however, be a convenient and relatively light evening snack.
Does warm milk help you sleep?
Warm milk may help some people relax, but evidence that ordinary milk directly improves sleep is limited. The comforting routine of having a warm caffeine-free drink before bed may itself help you wind down.
Is porridge good before bed?
A small bowl of porridge can be a filling but simple option if you're hungry in the evening. Keep the portion modest if you're eating close to bedtime.
Is it bad to eat before bed?
Not necessarily. A small snack if you're hungry is very different from eating a large meal immediately before lying down. If eating late regularly causes indigestion or discomfort, try moving your main meal earlier or choosing a lighter evening option.
How long before bed should I eat dinner?
There's no single rule for everyone, but many people find it more comfortable to leave a couple of hours between a substantial meal and going to bed. If you prefer to eat later, a smaller or lighter meal may suit you better.
Can tea stop you sleeping?
Ordinary tea contains caffeine, and caffeine can affect sleep for several hours. If you enjoy tea in the evening but struggle to sleep, consider switching to a decaffeinated version later in the day.
What is a good light evening meal?
That depends on your appetite, but soup, a smaller fish or chicken dish, a jacket potato or a Mini Meal can all be useful choices when you don't want a large dinner.
Make Evenings a Little Easier With Oakhouse Foods
A comfortable evening meal doesn't have to involve an hour in the kitchen.
At Oakhouse Foods, you can choose from a wide range of frozen meals, including familiar favourites, fish dishes, soups, lighter meals and smaller portions for when you don't feel like a large dinner.
Your meals are delivered directly to your home and can be stored in the freezer until you're ready for them, giving you the freedom to choose what you fancy that evening.
And with very little preparation required, you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying your evening.
Browse the Oakhouse Foods range and discover easy meals to suit your appetite and routine.