Healthy Late Night Snacks That Won’t Ruin Your Sleep

Night hunger is hard to control, but selecting the right kind of night-time snacks can be what makes the nights calm and so on. The big question is…"What do I eat before sleep?".  A healthful, well-prepared dinner can be enough to allow for a good night’s sleep; a meal that fills your stomach and leaves you feeling content. Go for easy-to-digest foods that won’t upset your stomach or send your blood sugar soaring.

Should You Eat If You Are Hungry at Bedtime?

A substantial dinner should be a meal that takes one to the next morning. The consumption of protein and healthy fat at dinner time will balance blood sugar and consequently make you feel satisfied for a longer time. 
But if one is hungry and cannot sleep, then a small, healthy snack at night is okay. The key here is to eat a small snack, and not to consume sugary and/or processed foods. A small healthy snack that is easy to digest is beneficial for one's sleep because it will keep the blood sugar level normal and will increase the levels of calming neurotransmitters like serotonin and melatonin.

How Food Choices Before Bed Influence Sleep

What you consume in the evening can also have a considerable influence on the quality of your sleep. Late-night snacking affects not only your waistline but also your metabolism, hormones, and sleep quality.

Food that is high in sugar or heavy close to bedtime can trigger a rapid increase in blood sugar and get your digestive system working overtime, which typically leads to restless sleep. Large meals right before bed have also been known to interfere with the flow of melatonin, the hormone responsible for telling your body to sleep.

Other nutrients, however, are responsible for enabling relaxation and sleep:

• Tryptophan, an amino acid in protein foods, aids your body in the production of serotonin and melatonin.
• Magnesium is a muscle relaxant that calms tension.
• Complex carbohydrates aid tryptophan in getting to the brain more efficiently.
• Healthy fats stabilize hormones and release energy steadily throughout the night.

If you want to avoid a poor night’s sleep, avoid large or spicy dinners close to bedtime. Don’t consume overly sweet desserts; lighter desserts will get you to sleep faster, and into a deeper and more restful sleep.

Best Foods to Eat for Better Sleep

In selecting the best, healthiest foods to have as a late-night snack, the following are the most critical nutrients to seek out:

• Protein: Controls blood sugar and assists your body in producing sleep hormones.
• Magnesium: Found in nuts, seeds, and whole grains; relaxes muscles and the nervous system.
• Complex Carbohydrates: In oatmeal, whole grains, and fruit; leads to gradual energy release and optimal tryptophan absorption.
• Healthy Fats: Such as in avocados, nuts, and seeds; assists with hormone regulation and feelings of fullness.

These snacks can be blended together to create nutritious and delicious snacks for evening in clever, small sizes.

Best Healthy Late Night Snacks That Help You Sleep

Nighttime snacks are not of the same quality. The afore-mentioned snacks consist of a mix of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats that can help an individual sleep better.

Pistachios

Pistachios are one of those power foods that aid in a good night’s sleep! One of the health benefits of pistachios is that it contains protein, magnesium, and vitamin B6, which are all needed in the production of melatonin and helpful for sleep. Pistachios have less calorie content than other nuts, so you can eat them later in the night. If you do have a bedtime snack, top a banana slice or whole grain bread with the pistachio butter.
If you are a sugar addict, chocolate toffee pistachios are a good compromise in not eating too much sugar, and dark chocolate pistachios are an acceptable mix of two sleep-inducing snacks. Like dark chocolate, pistachios are still one of the better late-night snacks when it comes to inducing sleep.

Banana and Nut Butter 

Bananas and nut butter is one of the healthier pairings when looking at night time snacks! Bananas contain naturally occurring amounts of potassium and magnesium to help relax muscles and nervous system function, great for wind-down at night!. Adding nut butter as almond butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter will assist in providing a healthy source of fat and protein that will prevent your blood sugar from spiking over the course of the night and also keep you full during the evening. Casein protein found in cottage cheese is slow-release protein that will repair muscle and keep you full over the course of the night. This snack suppresses late night cravings but also might induce production of serotonin which is a precursor to melatonin and will contribute to sleeping well. Consume one little banana with a small about tablespoon of your favorite natural nut butter as a balanced sleep inducing snack.

Dark Chocolate

70% cacao or more dark chocolate contains ingredients that raise serotonin, magnesium, and antioxidant levels. Having a small square occasionally (1 oz) will pacify your sweet tooth and soothe your bedtime anxiety.

Cottage Cheese with Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are one of the most nourishing and comforting late-night foods that you can have. Dried fruits like dried apricots, golden raisins, dried sour plums, and dried peaches are high in natural sugars, along with fiber, potassium, and antioxidants that guarantee smoother digestion and increase serotonin production. The combination of protein from cottage cheese and natural carbohydrates of dried fruits are a satisfying snack that will stop the late-evening cravings without filling your system. A bowl of cottage cheese with a spoonful of dried fruits on top will stop hunger and help enjoy a good night's sleep.

Oatmeal with Nuts and Honey

Oatmeal with nuts and honey is not only a healthy breakfast, but is also an excellent healthy bedtime snack. Oats are a natural source of complex carbohydrates that increase the amount of tryptophan, an amino acid that stimulates the production of serotonin and melatonin, both of which lend to a good night’s sleep. A fistful of nuts such as walnuts or almonds are healthy fats and magnesium-rich, both which relax the muscles and satiate the appetite. A drizzle of honey not only tastes delicious but also gradually raises insulin levels, allowing tryptophan to pass through the blood-brain barrier with greater ease. All these foods put together are a soothing and sleep-promoting snack that is well absorbed and perfect for relaxing in the evening.

A Handful of Mixed Nuts

A serving of mixed nuts is one of the simplest and most effective healthy late-night snacks to induce sleep. Nuts are full of protein, healthy fats, magnesium, and a plethora of other substances that help balance hormones as well as keep you full but not bloated. One excellent combination can be almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pistachios that provide different benefits from sleep quality to mental acuteness. Combined, they provide satisfying textures and flavor and sustained energy to tire you out all through the night comfortably.

Tips for Smarter Late-Night Snacking

To make the most of your pre-sleep healthy snacks, keep the following in mind:

• Keep it Small and Balanced: Choose a snack of roughly 150-200 calories with a bit of protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats.
• Don’t Snack Too Close to Bedtime: Try to wait at least 30-60 minutes after snacking to sleep and let your body have a little time to process the food.
• Avoid Sugar and Processed Foods: Sugar and processed foods will produce energy highs, which are guaranteed to shut down your sleep cycle.
• Pair Protein and Carbs Together: The protein-carb combination will enable decent blood glucose levels and the regulation of sleep hormones.

Try pre-preparing your snacks such as single-serve bags of trail mix, containers of Greek yogurt, or packets of oatmeal. Pre-preparing your snacks will stop you from getting slack and munching on disgusting snack food.

Conclusion

Having a small and considerate snack close to bed can curb your evening cravings and assist you in sleeping. Smart snacking, healthy snacking, moderate portion control and timing your snack allows for proper digestion. It is possible, with the proper strategy, to make late-night cravings an occasion for better sleep and the development of good habits.