Studies have identified three key dinner parameters that impair sleep quality:
- A lack of unsaturated fats,
- Excessive volume and weight of food,
- Excess sugar.
Plus, the lack of whole grains in the diet was often observed in those who could not fall asleep for 60 minutes or more.
The same studies showed that cases of severe insomnia are more often observed with a general lack of fat in the diet – on top of an excess of calories from refined carbohydrates. In the article below, we will talk about what foods you need to eat in the evening for a good night’s sleep.
Proper nutrition for dinner
Proper nutrition includes full meals in the morning, afternoon, and evening – as well as 1-2 small snacks. At the same time, there is no evidence that it is better for a person to consume any certain number of calories for dinner or at any other meal.
Usually, we are talking about the fact that the evening meal is either equivalent to lunch in terms of calories or contains slightly fewer calories. Recommendations vary by weight and daily activity level, but 500-600 calories for dinner can be a good starting point.
Most women (and men with low body weight) need about 2000 kcal per day and for most men (and some women) – about 2500 kcal. Thus, the evening meal should account for up to 25% of the total calorie intake.
Practical example
Research has linked poor sleep to a dietary deficiency of unsaturated vegetable fats (olive, rapeseed, sunflower, rice oil, etc.); higher food weight; and an excess of fast carbohydrates (sweets, pastries, white rice, and other high glycemic index foods).
Good sleep (and time to fall asleep less than 15 minutes) was observed in those who ate food of moderate volume and calorie content in the evening – as well as in those whose diet included whole grain cereals (buckwheat, quinoa, pearl barley, bulgur, brown rice, whole grain bread, etc. ).
What food is best in the evening?
Another study found a relationship between the glycemic index of carbohydrates consumed in the evening and the quality of sleep – in particular, in the presence of foods with fiber in people, a decrease in the incidence of insomnia was observed.
It also turned out that the abundance of saturated animal fats (fatty meat, cheese, butter) against the background of a lack of foods with fiber reduces the duration of the deep phase of sleep – however, it is during this period that the body best restores its strength.
Grocery list
When compiling a daily healthy diet (including meals for dinner in the evening), modern nutritionists advise using five categories of food:
- All kinds of vegetables and legumes (peas, lentils)
- Fresh fruit (about 2 – 3 per day)
- Whole grain cereals
- Low-fat meat; fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, and seeds
- Low-fat dairy products (or their plant-based components)
Soup/salad combination + main course
Since it’s not so much the calories as the physical volume of the meal that affects satiety, nutritionists often recommend including two meals in dinner. For example, it can be a soup (or vegetable salad) and a main protein dish.
A good combination that guarantees stable saturation will be a combination of lean meat and whole grains – for example, buckwheat with beef, chicken with bulgur, and salmon with brown rice. However, remember that eating bread in the evening may mean cutting out other carbs for dinner.
Eating before bed while exercising
Another important question from a practical point of view is what you can eat if physical training was carried out quite late, and only a few hours remain before going to bed. This model is quite typical for working people.
The best recommendation would be to eat both before training and after it, directly for dinner. Thus, you will give the body both energy for training, and provide nutrition to restore the body’s needs after training.
Also, keep in mind that some types of sports nutrition (especially pre-workout boosters) can contain significant amounts of caffeine, a substance that allows you to train with more strength, but is associated with sleep disturbance when consumed in the evening.
Eating in the evening to achieve good sleep should contain a moderate amount of energy, whole grain cereals (or any other low GI carbohydrate foods), and unsaturated vegetable fats – while limiting saturated fats and refined carbohydrates.