From kiwi to walnuts, these foods may help you stay asleep.
Reviewed by Dietitian Jane Leverich, M.S., RDN
Key Points
- Research suggests some foods, including kiwi and walnuts, may support aspects of sleep quality.
- Milk and fatty fish provide nutrients that may play a role in sleep regulation.
- While what you eat before bed matters, a consistent sleep schedule and good sleep habits matter, too.
Keeping a consistent bedtime doesn’t feel like much of a victory if you’re wide awake at 3 a.m. If that pattern sounds familiar, you may have considered changing what you eat before bed. Researchers have studied several everyday foods to see whether they can help people sleep longer or spend less time awake during the night, with some promising findings.
There are a few practical options to try, whether you’re looking for an evening snack or something to add to dinner. We asked dietitians to explain which foods show promise for better sleep and how to enjoy them. Below are the ones they recommend, plus simple habits to help you make the most of your bedtime routine.
1. Kiwi
Eating kiwi before bed may help you spend less time awake during the night. Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCESrecommends the fruit based on research examining its potential effects on sleep. “The best-studied practical serving is two kiwifruit about one hour before bed,” she says.
Research suggests that eating kiwi before bed may help improve several aspects of sleep, including sleep duration and the amount of time spent awake during the night. Those findings suggest kiwi could help to both how long you sleep and how often your sleep is interrupted. Researchers suspect kiwi’s antioxidants and other compounds involved in sleep regulation may contribute, although exactly how they may affect sleep isn’t clear.
If you’d like to try it for yourself, eat two medium green kiwis about an hour before bed.
2. Walnuts
Adding walnuts to dinner may help you fall asleep more easily and improve your overall sleep quality. Lauren Manaker, M.S., RDN, LDrecommends about 1½ ounces, the amount tested in recent research.
Research suggests that regularly eating walnuts may improve sleep quality and how quickly you fall asleep. Some research has also found changes in markers related to melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep timing. The findings support walnuts’ potential to help you settle into sleep, though they don’t establish that walnuts prevent nighttime awakenings.
3. Tart Cherry Juice
Tart cherry juice may help improve sleep for some people with insomnia. It naturally contains melatonin, a hormone that helps signal when it’s time to sleep, and researchers have tested whether drinking the juice translates into better rest. Some research suggests tart cherry juice may improve sleep duration or the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.
However, studies have tested different tart cherry products, amounts and groups of people, making it difficult to identify who is most likely to benefit or how much to drink.
Palinski-Wade suggests that a smaller serving of tart cherry juice may be easier to fit into your evening routine. Research has tested a range of amounts and formulations, with no established ideal serving for sleep. If you’d like to try it, choose an amount you comfortably enjoy, keeping in mind that the benefits seen in studies may not apply to every serving or product.
4. Milk
A cup of warm milk can be a comforting way to wind down, and its nutrients may also encourage a good night’s sleep. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid your body uses to make serotonin and melatonin, which help regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Luciana Soares, DCN, M.S., RDN, LDN, CDP, FANDrecommends it as an option for your evening routine.
Research examining milk and other dairy products suggests they may improve self-reported sleep quality.
For a practical way to try this for yourself, Soares suggests about 1 cup of warm milk in the evening, if you tolerate it well. She describes it as “a familiar bedtime ritual, which may bring comfort and relaxation.” While that serving is her suggestion rather than a proven sleep-promoting dose, it can give you a starting point for enjoying milk before bed.
5. Fatty Fish
Soares recommends fatty fish, such as salmon, as a dinner option that supplies nutrients involved in sleep regulation. Its omega-3 fats may influence pathways involved in melatonin production, leading researchers to examine whether getting more of these fats may improve sleep.
Research suggests that omega-3 fats may improve sleep efficiency, meaning you spend more of your time in bed asleep. That finding suggests a potential benefit for more consolidated sleep, although research has not found a connection between sleep duration or the ability to fall asleep faster overall.
Soares suggests a 3- to 5-ounce serving of fatty fish as part of your evening meal, two to three times a week. Try baking salmon alongside vegetables and serving it with rice, or adding leftover cooked salmon into a grain bowl for an easy dinner the next day.
Other Strategies to Support Sleep
Your food choices before bed are only one factor that can affect sleep quality. The timing of your afternoon coffee, the light in your bedroom and an inconsistent bedtime can also interfere with rest. These habits before bed may be useful places to start if you’re trying to sleep more soundly.
- Keep consistent sleep and wake times. Soares recommends a regular schedule, including on weekends. Set aside the hour before bed for quieter activities and reduce bright light from screens.
- Review your caffeine timing. Caffeine’s effects can last up to eight hours, so an afternoon coffee may interfere with sleep that night.
- Adjust meal timing if you have reflux. If symptoms occur at night or when you lie down, finishing meals at least three hours before bed may help. A bedtime-food routine should accommodate those symptoms.
- Make your bedroom comfortable for sleep. Keep it cool, dark and quiet, as Manaker recommends. These are practical changes to consider alongside anything you add to your evening menu.
Our Expert Take
The foods dietitians recommend for better sleep can fit into meals and snacks you already enjoy, from salmon at dinner to kiwi or warm milk before bed. Research suggests some may help you fall asleep more easily or spend less time awake at night, although the benefits vary by food and study. Choose an option that appeals to you, alongside a consistent sleep schedule, attention to caffeine and a comfortable bedroom.