You know the feeling – fuzzy brain, groggy, and tired – all from too little sleep. Research tells us that the more tired you are, the more you eat during the day in attempt to perk yourself up, which can easily add up to weight gain over time. Although there’s no set menu for eating for better sleep, there are little tweaks you can make all day for a more restful night. So instead of downing caffeine every morning, reaching for sugary snacks every afternoon, and repeating the cycle day after day, try these tips instead:

  • Eat balanced, nutritious meals and snacks evenly spaced throughout the day. Eat too little during the day, and you’ll over-stuff yourself in the evening, leading to a night of tossing, turning, and indigestion.
  • Cut back on caffeine. According to the National Sleep Foundation, consuming more than three 8-ounce cups of caffeine a day may impact sleep, and six or more cups is considered to be excessive intake. Because the body takes about six hours to metabolize caffeine, drinking or eating foods with caffeine is not recommended within several hours of lights out.
  • Enjoy more salmon. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the omega-3 fatty acids in fish such as salmon, halibut, and anchovies can also enhance your brain’s secretion of melatonin, which is thought to be the body’s sleep signal. To reap the sleep benefits of omega-3s, eat a 3-ounce serving of fish at least twice per week.

Want more information on how to get a better night’s sleep? Come join us for our upcoming class Sleep Better, Live Better on August 11th 2015. Register here.