An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but a banana at night can help you sleep tight. Next time you're up late, battling a pesky combination of hunger and restlessness, reach for a banana before bed as a healthy late-night snack.
Some research has found that eating kiwi can improve sleep. View Source . In a study, people who ate two kiwis one hour before bedtime found that they fell asleep faster, slept more, and had better sleep quality.
5 worst foods to eat before bed
Oranges and grapefruits might be a go-to snack, but save them for drinks and meals earlier in the day. They can be tough on the digestive system and trigger indigestion that disturbs sleep. 2. Spicy foods.
Carb-heavy foods such as bread, sandwiches, toast, and crackers are some of the best things to eat with a hangover. They're easy for the stomach to digest and offer an immediate source of energy. Carbohydrates are also naturally high in sodium, so they can help replenish your electrolyte levels too.
If you've eaten a big meal, follow up by eating fruit. Eating antioxidant-rich fruits—including berries, grapes, kiwi and cherries—helps minimize the harmful free-radical damage that occurs after a meal.
According to Lauren Popeck, RD, a dietitian at Orlando Health, Greek yogurt is perfect for bedtime, because it contains the sleep-inducing chemical tryptophan. And because it's such a rich source of protein, Greek yogurt can also help you avoid that same glucose spike.
Experts recommend waiting at least three hours after you've eaten to go to bed. This allows your body time to digest your food so you're not up at night with an upset stomach, indigestion, or acid reflux. And it helps you stay asleep.
Drinking water before bed is fine as long as you don't overdo it. Try to get your eight glasses of water a day in well before bedtime. And if you must drink water before bed, try to limit the amount to as little as possible to avoid dry mouth and thirst that interrupts your sleep.
Drinking water before bed might help ward off dehydration. View Source while you sleep, and it may also help you attain the drop in core body temperature. View Source that helps induce sleepiness.
The vitamin C and melatonin in strawberries both promote healthy sleep. Plus, according to the National Sleep Foundation, the antioxidants in strawberries can help counteract the oxidative stress caused by sleep disorders.
Is it OK to eat them before bed? Yes, blueberries are generally considered a healthy food to consume before bed. In fact, they may be a particularly good choice due to their high levels of antioxidants and other nutrients that can support overall health and well-being.
As the above snack ideas suggest, fruits, vegetables, yogurt, nuts, and hummus are all healthy late-night snack options. Due to their high nutritional value, whether that be through protein, vitamins, or probiotics, these snacks will certainly support a good night's rest.
1. Cherries. Cherries (especially sour cherries like the Montmorency variety) are one of the only (and highest) natural food sources of melatonin. Studies have shown a boost in circulating melatonin after consumption of cherries, though sweet cherries have half the melatonin content as sour cherries.
Pineapple. Another fruity treat to enjoy before bed is the humble pineapple. Also high in melatonin, researchers discovered that after eating pineapple, the melatonin markers in the body could increase by 266 percent.
Drinking water first thing in the morning immediately helps rehydrate the body. Your six to eight hours of sleep is a long period to go without any water consumption. Drinking two or three glasses of water right when you wake up is a good way to rehydrate your body quickly.