This Eating Strategy Can Help You Sleep Through The *Entire* Night

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April 23, 2022 — 11:22 AM

On a recent episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, mbg's Vice President of Scientific Affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN pointed listeners to reputable research finding that consuming meals within a consistent daily time window is associated with better sleep and overall quality of life. "Eating over a longer window and/or frequently changing that window is linked to exactly the opposite," Ferira explained. Eating during set times every day has also been shown to support healthy weight and insulin sensitivity.

While some are able to get their feeding window down to as few as four hours a day, Ferira notes that sticking to a 12-hour window is more realistic for most people.

Time-restricted eating's impact on sleep likely has to do with the way it supports our circadian rhythm or internal clock. By doing activities like eating, exercising, and exposing ourselves to light at roughly the same times every day, we allow our body to slip into a routine. Once it does, it can become easier to fall asleep and wake up at the same time every day, which has a positive impact on sleep quality.

"From a chronobiology perspective, creating clearly delineated times when you eat, and when you fast, seems to be important to promote a healthy metabolism and good sleep. That means fewer meals, and during a shorter time window, for example only between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.," echoes neuroscientist and sleep expert, Sofia Axelrod, Ph.D. of Kulala. She adds that eating full meals during set time periods can also help reduce grazing, or nibbling here and there throughout the day; an eating pattern that seems to negatively impact sleep timing and quality.

As far as what to pile on your plate during this daily window, Peter Polos, M.D., Ph.D., FCCP, FAASM, sleep medicine specialist and sleep expert for Sleep Number, recommends steering clear of anything high in fat or refined carbs. "There is data to suggest diets high in carbohydrates contribute to drowsiness and can lead to fragmented sleep as the carbohydrates are metabolized. Avoidance of high-fat foods is also advised as they too can affect sleep quality," he tells mbg.

Instead, a review paper published earlier this year found that Mediterranean-inspired diets higher in protein, fiber, fruits, vegetables, and anti-inflammatory nutrients tend to be associated with better sleep quality.

Aim to enjoy most of your plant-heavy meals earlier in the day, as delayed eating might disrupt the circadian rhythm. Experts agree that you should stop eating at the same time every night—preferably around three hours before bed—to give your body plenty of time to digest before sleep.