Greasy food, coffee or sweet snacks in the evening are not the best idea. But what should you really eat to get a good night’s sleep?
You lie in bed. The stomach growls. Sleep is restless. This can be due to the wrong diet, says ecotrophologist Milan Hollingshaus. Because what we eat in the evening can influence the quality of our sleep.
In the video you can see which tips will help you sleep.
The classic for good sleep: avoid caffeine and sugar
One thing is clear: Caffeine and sugary drinks such as coffee, black tea or energy drinks are not a good choice before going to bed and should be avoided. Because they keep you awake.
“Luxurious meals with a high proportion of ingredients that are difficult or slow to digest, such as meat and a lot of fat, are also likely to be heavy on the stomach,” says Hollingshaus.
The nutrition expert recommends a small meal that is based on the so-called plate model and is about the size of a breakfast or cake plate.
Half of the plate should be filled with fresh foods such as vegetables, a quarter with protein-containing foods such as turkey breast or tofu, and the last quarter with carbohydrate-containing foods such as potatoes. This means you are supplied with all the nutrients and full overnight.
This is good for the body before sleeping
But it is also important to take individual digestion, personal habits and your own biorhythm into account. For example, if you don’t tolerate raw vegetables well late in the evening, you should instead opt for cooked vegetables.
So it’s important to listen to your own body. “If habits are changed at short notice or postponed by an event that would otherwise not take place, this quickly leads to digestive problems,” says Hollingshaus. Sleep phases and dreams could also be influenced.
Walks and tea for the symptoms
And what if you ate the wrong thing just before you fell asleep? Then a short walk can help or “drinking digestive teas such as fennel-anise-caraway or peppermint,” advises Hollingshaus.