Can diet impact sleep quality?

Yes. What you eat—and when you eat it—can affect sleep quality.

• High sugar, low protein: This pattern is associated with worse sleep; sugar may raise core body temperature, which can disrupt sleep. 1
• Evening carbohydrates: Carbohydrate-rich meals may support sleep onset by favoring tryptophan and serotonin, which are linked to melatonin. 2
• Very low-carbohydrate diets: These may make falling or staying asleep harder for some people; very low-carbohydrate diets can also sometimes be associated with hypomania. 3 4
• Tryptophan-rich foods: White meat such as turkey, some fish, and complex carbohydrates may favor calmer, sleepier states. 5
• Tyrosine-rich foods: Nuts and red meat contain tyrosine, a precursor in pathways associated with alertness; food volume also affects how sleepy or alert you feel. 6