How to sleep better
Are you struggling to get a good night's sleep? Nutritionist Kerry Torrens explains how a few dietary changes can make all the difference
Did you sleep well last night? If not, then the chances are this morning sees you feeling lethargic and low in mood, both of which can affect your productivity and your overall health. Nutritionist Kerry Torrens believes that diet and sleep are interconnected, with the quality of one directly influencing the other. She believes that eating a varied, balanced diet promotes better quality sleep, which in turn helps regulate appetite and metabolism. So whether you're a light sleeper, shift worker with disrupted sleep, frequently wake at 3am, or struggle with the quality of your sleep, read on to learn more about the close relationship between food and sleep, and discover Kerry's top tips for a restorative night.
Next, read about healthier late-night snacks, diet tips and foods that help you sleep, how to get up early in the morning, the importance of a morning routine and why you're always tired.
Why do we need sleep?
Sleep is essential for both our physical and mental well-being. Not only does adequate sleep improve our focus and concentration, it promotes healing and reduces our risk of a number of health conditions. For example, studies have found a relationship between the quantity and quality of sleep with health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and depression. What's more, a lack of sleep is believed to suppress the immune system, leaving us vulnerable to infections and causing changes to our appetite that potentially contribute to weight gain.
Recent research also suggests that problems with sleep may impact the way we process memories. A 2024 study found that poor sleep affected the brain’s ability to ‘file away’ intrusive memories, this persistent access to unsettling recollections is thought to contribute to anxiety and may lead to post-traumatic stress disorder.
How many hours of sleep do you need?
Although seven hours is usually cited as the ideal, there is no magic number. We tend to need slightly less sleep as we age, but it varies by individual. You may function best on seven hours a night, while someone else may need nine or even as few as four to lead a happy, productive life.
12 ways to improve your sleep
A disrupted night’s sleep can be caused by a number of factors, including heightened stress, poor diet and irregular sleeping habits. Below, you'll find practical steps to help improve your sleep routine, promote a more restful night and get you feeling yourself again.
1. Drink a glass of warm milk before bed
It's not just an old wives' tale dairy contains the proteins whey and casein which are rich in the amino acid tryptophan. This amino acid plays a key role in the production of sleep-inducing brain chemicals, serotonin and melatonin.
2. Top up your tryptophan
Other foods that contain useful amounts of tryptophan are oats, bananas, chicken, turkey, eggs, peanuts and tuna, so try to include these in your meals and in any evening snack.
3. Mighty minerals
Magnesium and calcium work together to calm the body and relax muscles. They do this by balancing your nervous system’s activity and your muscle function. A lack of these minerals may cause you to wake during the night, and make returning back to sleep more difficult. Interestingly, insomnia is one of the main symptoms of magnesium deficiency. If you're struggling to sleep, try eating more magnesium-rich foods, like spinach, nuts, seeds, fish and wholegrains.
Restless leg syndrome refers to the constant urge to move your legs accompanied by a tingling sensation that can disrupt sleep. It's often experienced at night and may indicate that you're low in the mineral, iron. If this sounds familiar, speak to your GP – it is important to check your iron levels before supplementing.
4. Choose a wholegrain, carb-rich snack before bed
Snacking on a few oatcakes or a bowl of low-sugar cereal an hour before bed stimulates the release of insulin. This helps to clear any amino acids that compete with tryptophan, and allows more tryptophan to enter the brain where it helps to produce sleep-inducing hormones, like melatonin. This makes a glass of warm milk and an oat cake the perfect sleep-inducing snack.
5. Sip on herbal tea
A warm, soothing cup of camomile, passion flower or valerian tea may have a sedative effect, encourage feelings of relaxation and rest, and improve sleep quality.
6. Implement a relaxing bedtime routine
To help your body and mind switch off, have a warm, but not hot bath, do some gentle yoga or read a book rather than watch TV. Try to go to bed around the same time every night and get up at the same hour in the morning as this will help set your body clock.
7. Find time for daylight exposure and exercise
Getting outside, especially first thing in the morning and for enough time during the day, may help you sleep more soundly. This is because exercise produces endorphins which lift our mood and boosts metabolism.
Exposing yourself to bright light first thing helps to set your natural body clock, enhances alertness during the day and promotes sleep at night. However, you should avoid exercise late in the day/evening as it produces stimulants that may stop the brain relaxing.
8. Make sure your bedroom is neither too hot nor too cold
Our body temperature has its own day to night rhythm. At night, it usually cools down to signal that it's time for sleep. If you're too hot or too cold, your body may struggle to relax and your sleep will likely be disrupted.
9. Stop doom scrolling
When it’s dark, your brain secretes melatonin, helping you to fall asleep. However, the blue light from your phone may restrict the amount of melatonin produced, and the action of scrolling is thought to be stimulatory and likely to keep you awake.
Put devices away at least 30 minutes before you retire to bed to help your body switch off naturally.
10. Keep an eye on your sugar intake
Eating too much sugar can cause your energy levels to spike and crash, this can make it difficult to sleep at night. This is because your body uses magnesium – a vital sleep-inducing mineral – to process sugar. What's more, if you're feeling low in energy after a bad night's sleep, you may reach for sugary foods to give yourself a boost and that may make the problem worse. Try to choose a healthy low-sugar, high-fibre cereal for breakfast instead of one that's full of the sweet stuff.
11. Eat your evening meal earlier
The act of eating pushes up the body’s core temperature, and this can disrupt sleep for this reason eat your evening meal at least three to four hours before going to bed.
12. Gradually reduce caffeine
Have your last caffeinated drink no later than midday – this is because the time taken for the body to eliminate caffeine is roughly five to six hours. Caffeine promotes wakefulness by blocking a chemical called adenosine which promotes sleep.
Instead sip on decaf coffee or caffeine-free tea, such as rooibos. And don’t forget other drinks like energy drinks and even cold remedies may contain caffeine.
What to avoid for a better night's sleep
Starchy or fatty foods
Eating high amounts of starchy or fatty foods, or very refined, sugary foods places a high demand on your digestive system which means you're likely to feel sluggish and lethargic.
Tyramine foods
Avoid pork, chocolate, aubergines, tomatoes, potatoes and wine near bedtime as these foods are rich in the amino acid tyramine, which the body converts to the brain stimulant, noradrenaline.
Alcohol
Although a couple of drinks may help you drift off to sleep, too much alcohol decreases REM sleep and disrupts the body’s natural rhythms. Alcohol also causes blood sugar levels to drop, so you may wake in the middle of the night. Alcohol is dehydrating so you’re likely to wake feeling thirsty.
Caffeine
Say no to an after-dinner espresso or late-night cuppa. The stimulant effect of caffeine reaches its peak one to four hours after it's consumed, but some people may feel its effects up to 12 hours later. Some over-the-counter cold and headache remedies are also high in caffeine.
Nicotine
Nicotine acts as a stimulant, this means those who smoke or vape are likely to take longer to fall asleep and are more likely to suffer with sleep problems.
Steps to get more deep sleep: what matters most for sleep quality?
The factors with the most impact on your sleep quality will vary and their relevance for you will depend on your lifestyle, age and genetics. Here are the steps that are likely to have the greatest impact:
- Exposure to early morning daylight.
- A consistent sleep schedule.
- Caffeine awareness.
- Lighter, earlier evening meals.
- Limited alcohol.
- Stimulant reduction, including nicotine.
- Avoidance of tech devices at least 30 minutes before bed.
- The right sleep environment.
Your questions answered
Does magnesium help you sleep?
Yes, magnesium does appear to influence sleep onset and duration so it may be a useful sleep aid, it also helps quieten the nervous system, creating a more calm and relaxed disposition.
As we age, we experience changes in our sleep patterns. A study looking at the effect of magnesium on a group of 60 to 80-year-olds suggests the mineral may help reverse these changes. Another more recent study looking at adults aged 18-65 years reported a modest improvement in insomnia when taking a daily supplement of elemental magnesium bisglycinate.
Is it bad to go to bed hungry?
Going to bed when you’re slightly hungry may not cause you an issue, but if your hunger is more intense it is likely to spike cortisol, the stress hormone this will disrupt sleep and potentially lead to poor food choices.
Does alcohol help you sleep?
Alcohol is a temporary, short-lived sedative and nervous system depressant, so while initially you may feel relaxed and fall to asleep quickly, alcohol will disrupt the quality of your sleep and reduce REM sleep, causing fragmented, lighter, less restorative sleep.
Is 6 hours enough?
Sleep duration varies depending on your age and genetics which means there’s no magic number, although the average adult needs seven hours plus to maintain health. Chronic shorter than optimal periods of sleep for your age and genetics may lead to fatigue, poor immunity and memory loss as well as a greater risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
As with most things in life there is no quick fix or single food solution that will sort your sleep issues. In order to enjoy better sleep, you need to establish a consistent routine and follow a healthy, balanced dietary pattern. If your diet needs an overhaul aim to introduce gradual dietary changes, rather than restriction, this means you’ll be more likely to stick to the changes.
A period of poor sleep can be alarming but it is common for all of us to experience occasional poor sleep, this is part of life and may be the result of a period of stress, schedule changes or other lifestyle factors. If the sleep disruption continues for an extended period of time and is causing you distress or an inability to function refer to your GP for guidance.
If you wake at 3am...
- Consider if you are feeling thirsty. Dehydration not only causes tiredness during the day, but also affects the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.
- Try a light snack, choosing foods or drinks that will aid sleep.
- Avoid screens as they can act as a stimulant. The blue light from devices such as phones and tablets can reduce the amount of melatonin your body produces, and the action of scrolling is thought to be stimulatory and likely to keep you awake.
Enjoyed this? Now read:
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Best sleep supplements
Best sleep trackers
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This page was reviewed on 20th April 2026 by Kerry Torrens.
Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a Registered Nutritionist with a post graduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food. Find her on Instagram at @kerry_torrens_nutrition_
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