Eating just before bed is something we’re always told not to do for our sleep health, for reasons ranging from indigestion to weird cheese-fueled nightmares. Rigorously avoiding eating anything before bed, however, could have equally as disruptive an effect on your sleep. By not eating before bed, our bodies have no fuel to work with throughout the night. “In many cases, this can cause a drop in blood sugar which could actually be waking you up at night,” clinical psychologist Michael Breus, author of “The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep” told The Healthy. Breus continued, saying, “When your blood sugar gets low, insulin is produced to help utilize fat stores, but this can be stimulating and keep you awake.”
A light snack like a teaspoon of raw honey will do, according to the expert, as it can help to stabilize your blood sugar throughout the night. Other great snacks before bed include a banana with almond butter, which can help to increase melatonin and magnesium levels before bed, or some yogurt, which can help to promote sleep through its calcium content, according to Healthline.