Best: Dark Chocolate
If you can't imagine ending your day and hitting the hay without some sort of sweet treat, you're not alone. There are a lot of people with a sweet tooth who seemingly cannot rest until they have something to satisfy it. If you want better sleep, a great sweet treat to focus on is dark chocolate, particularly one with a high percentage of cocoa.
"The higher the cocoa percentage, the better here," explains registered dietitian Courtney Pelitera, MS, RD, CNSC at Live it Up. "Cocoa contains magnesium, which is great for improving sleep. Chocolate is also a comfort food for many, releasing endorphins that help us to feel happy and relaxed. I recommend sticking to a small amount (1-2 squares) of 70% or higher dark chocolate about 1-2 hours before bed, to reduce overnight blood sugar spikes."
Worst: Foods High In Saturated Fat
If you're a night owl or have to stay up late for work, there's a good chance you like some kind of late-night snack or even an additional light meal. A late-night snack can be harmless if it's balanced and doesn't contain many disruptive ingredients, but digging into foods high in saturated fat, like fast food, frozen fried foods, and more, can do more harm than good.
"High saturated fat and high added sugar or processed foods are linked to lighter, more fragmented sleep and fewer deep sleep stages," notes board-certified sleep psychologist Dr. Jade Wu. "Meals that spike blood sugar can lead to a rebound drop in glucose during the night, which triggers adrenaline and causes nighttime awakenings."
Best: Tart Cherry Juice
If you like to enjoy a cocktail or some kind of sugary drink before bed, consider swapping it for a tart cherry juice-based mocktail! Cherries are not only known for being sweet and tasty, but they're also naturally high in melatonin, and a quick way to get the sleepy benefits is by drinking some tart cherry juice.
"Tart Cherry juice is a drink I recommend to many people who struggle with sleep," says Pelitera. "It is rich in natural melatonin and has been very heavily studied for muscle recovery after exercise, helping to reduce inflammation."
Worst: Alcohol
Speaking of cocktails, a lot of people think that a little 'nightcap' or some kind of alcoholic beverage is going to help put them to sleep. Even if alcohol is associated with evenings and relaxation, it actually can have the opposite effect, and it is not a good idea to drink right before bedtime, and even worse to frequently drink before bed.
"Alcohol may help sleep onset, but fragments sleep later and reduces restorative REM sleep," adds Dr. Wu. "It is not a sleep aid."