For athletes, drinking a protein smoothie before bed may help with muscle repair. Research suggests that drinking whey or casein protein shakes before bed can spur a higher rate of muscle synthesis. These benefits may be even more pronounced when paired with an exercise routine earlier in the day.
Eat tryptophan-rich proteins alongside a carbohydrate-rich dinner to help your body produce melatonin, improving sleep quality; opt for good sources of tryptophan like dairy products, seeds, eggs, turkey, fish, pumpkin, and beans.
Nighttime eating can indeed lead to overconsumption of calories and encourage poor food choices, but for athletes it may improve recovery, increase muscle protein synthesis overnight, and even help you get to sleep faster.
Eating these foods before bed might help stimulate recovery while you slumber. Ideal Snack: A smoothie of tart cherries, spinach, casein protein powder and almond milk. A snack platter of hard-boiled eggs, kiwis, walnuts and dark chocolate.
TWO HOURS BEFORE BEDTIME
All bodybuilders can take in 20-40 g of protein. Luncheon meat, a chicken breast, boiled eggs and cottage cheese are good sources of protein at this time. Hardgainers can also take in complex carbs, but should opt for smaller servings than at the last large meal.
Remember, carbs fuel high-intensity exercise like weight training and sprinting, and there's no such thing as "high-intensity sleeping." Fat, on the other hand, becomes the primary fuel source as the intensity of exercise goes down. In fact, when you're sleeping you're burning almost exclusively fat for fuel.
Cottage Cheese + Berries + Almonds
Cottage cheese is a great choice before bed (if you like the stuff), because it's packed with casein and whey protein to keep you full and repair and build your muscles all night long. Top with berries, almonds, or whatever you like and you have a filling, healthy pre-bedtime snack.
Some of the best foods for eating before bed include high-protein snacks like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, nut butter, eggs, or a protein shake; complex carbohydrates such as oats, quinoa, sweet potatoes, or brown rice; healthy fats such as avocados or almonds; and vegetables like broccoli and spinach.
In conclusion, protein ingestion prior to sleep is an effective interventional strategy to increase muscle protein synthesis rates during overnight sleep and can be applied to support the skeletal muscle adaptive response to resistance-type exercise training.
Although experts do not recommend large meals before bedtime, a light snack can have several benefits. A snack before going to sleep may be necessary to prevent low blood sugar. Certain snacks before bedtime can provide sleep benefits such as falling asleep faster.
You'll want to drink a protein shake about 30 minutes before bed for the best muscle-building results. That way, the amino acids can be used to help your body in the muscle repair and recovery process that occurs during sleep.
Sleeping on your back will allow your body to naturally fall into a neutral position. Try and use one pillow so that your head is not pushed up into a flexed position or if you sleep on your side one or two pillows should be used to fill the gap between your head and shoulder.
The amount of protein you eat can make a difference, too. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, most studies suggest that consuming 30-40 grams of casein protein 30-minutes before bed may help maximise post-exercise muscle repair and growth19.
Destress and Calm Down Before Bed
Consider turning off your phone an hour before bed, taking a warm bath, meditating, doing breathing exercises, or reading your favorite book. Doing these activities every night will signal to your brain that it is time to relax and get ready to sleep.
High protein sources such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and nuts improve muscle growth. Poultry, seafood, tofu, legumes, and lentils are also rich in protein. You can have any of these for dinner, or as a late-night snack before bed. Having one of these high-protein foods can also help you wake up in the morning.
In fact, one systematic review published in Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport in 2020 found that consuming 20 to 40 grams of casein protein about 30 minutes before you head to bed stimulates protein synthesis as you sleep, and this held true whether participants did resistance training before or not.
Tryptophan: Tryptophan is a crucial amino acid to the sleep cycle because it serves as the precursor to serotonin, which in turn produces melatonin. You can find this necessary component for sleep in protein-dense foods like eggs, poultry, meats, nuts, and dairy products.
The same study found that low carb intake increases the third sleep stage (N3), also known as deep sleep. Researchers believe this may be because eating protein and fats instead of carbs can stimulate release of cholecystokinin (CCK)—a hormone associated with increased sleepiness.
In efforts to make the most of the calories you consume before bed, protein provides more benefits than consuming carbohydrates or fat.
Yogurt, especially Greek yogurt is a great late night snack that works to promote sleep, but also has many other health benefits. It's packed with important nutrients, such as calcium, B-12, and potassium. In addition, it is also full of probiotics; which are 'good bacteria' that boost digestive health.
Dairy products such as Greek Yogurt contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which may help you to feel drowsier before heading to bed. After you eat foods rich in tryptophan, your body converts it into two hormones, serotonin and melatonin, which may promote a restful night's sleep.
Focus on high-fiber carbs and protein
Slow-digesting and high fiber carbs are ones that tend to be easier on your blood sugar, helping avoid spikes or subsequent crashes. Examples of slow-digesting carbs are whole grains, oats, brown rice, fruits and veggies.
Specifically, the body burns fat after first exhausting the contents of the digestive tract along with glycogen reserves stored in liver cells and after significant protein loss. After prolonged periods of starvation, the body uses the proteins within muscle tissue as a fuel source, which results in muscle mass loss.