How your diet affects your sleep and the recipes to help

Based on scientific research, the cookbook offers recipes designed to promote deep, restorative sleep and break the cycle of poor diet and insomnia.

The link between food and sleep

Anyone who has tossed and turned after a heavy meal knows that what we eat can affect how we sleep. But beyond occasional discomfort, research suggests that diet and sleep are closely linked.

Marie-Pierre St-Onge, director of Columbia University’s Center of Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research, has studied this connection for years. Her findings reveal that consuming too much saturated fat and refined carbohydrates can disrupt sleep cycles. Conversely, people who get insufficient sleep are more likely to make poor dietary choices, creating a vicious cycle.

“It’s a cycle of having poor sleep leading to poor dietary choices, and lower dietary quality that further propels poor sleep,” St-Onge explains.

This research inspired her to co-author a new cookbook, Eat Better, Sleep Better, alongside Saveur editor-in-chief Kat Craddock. The book highlights foods that promote restful sleep and provides a 28-day meal plan to help readers optimise their diet.

Which foods help you sleep?

St-Onge’s research found that diets rich in fibre, healthy fats, and certain micronutrients contribute to better sleep. The recipes in the book focus on ingredients that support melatonin production and overall sleep quality.

Key sleep-supporting foods include:

• Nuts, seeds, and whole grains – Barley, buckwheat, and kasha contain melatonin, which helps regulate circadian rhythms.

• Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables – Cherries, bananas, squash, and tomatoes contain phytochemicals that aid relaxation.

• Ginger and turmeric – These have anti-inflammatory properties that improve sleep quality.

• Foods high in tryptophan – This essential amino acid, found in turkey, chicken, and tofu, requires magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins to convert into serotonin and melatonin.

However, Marie-Pierre cautions that no single meal can guarantee instant sleep. Instead, maintaining a well-balanced diet throughout the day ensures that the body has the necessary nutrients when it’s time to rest.

Cooking for better sleep

Craddock, who developed the recipes, faced the challenge of balancing flavour with nutritional science.

“My instincts are to go hard on bacon, butter, and cheese, and she pared a lot of that back,” she admits. Instead, she found creative ways to retain flavour while making dishes healthier.

For example, rather than using bacon for depth, she achieved a similar smokiness with olive oil and smoked paprika.

One standout recipe is a Creole gumbo, inspired by a vegetarian version traditionally served during Lent. It replaces pork andouille with lean chicken sausage, increases the vegetable content with leafy greens, and swaps white rice for brown rice to add complex carbohydrates.