Medically reviewed by
Dacelin St Martin, MD
Triple board-certified in Sleep Medicine,
Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics.
Sleep and Food: An Intricate Relationship | How Dieting Causes Sleep Problems |
How to Improve Your Sleep and Nutrition
Overview
It is common knowledge that eating well is vital for physical health and longevity.
Many people limit their calorie consumption to lead a healthy lifestyle and keep an ideal weight.
While dieting is helpful for weight management, experts now believe that going overboard with it can affect other important aspects of health, including sleep.
Sleep and Food: An Intricate Relationship
Before we discuss how dieting causes insomnia, it is essential to understand how food and sleep are related.
Several studies have shown that the link between nutrition and sleep is bidirectional.
This finding implies that your food’s content, quality, and quantity could impact your sleep.[2]. Also, the quality of sleep you get can influence your food choices.
Regarding the relationship between the quantity of food intake and sleep, experts have suggested that over-eating or taking too little food before bed could negatively impact one’s shut-eye.
Kristin Carlino, a Jersey City Medical Center nutritionist, explains that eating too little could make you uncomfortable during sleep. It could make it problematic to maintain sleep.
Contrary to some opinions that the body does not need energy during sleep, it still requires some energy to sustain basal metabolism and other bodily functions like heart beating.
Attaining the necessary energy level for running the body’s metabolism could be challenging if you take less food.
In the same vein, overeating before bedtime can cause problems like indigestion and bloating, which can make it hard to initiate sleep.
Concerning how sleep affects food, evidence shows that poor sleep could increase poor diet choices like snacking late at night and eating high-calorie and fatty foods.[1]
Certain hormones are thought to be the primary causes of these unhealthful eating decisions linked to sleep loss.
Even brief bouts of insufficient sleep disrupt the body’s normal synthesis of the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which aid in controlling appetite and hunger.[3]
Furthermore, sleep has been shown to affect focus, decision-making, and mood, which can influence the foods we consume regularly.
How Dieting Causes Sleep Problems
Dieting can lead to sleep troubles in many ways. Let’s examine some of the more readily apparent mechanisms.
1) Micro-Nutrient Deficiency
Certain minerals, such as zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins, have been linked to optimal sleep.[2,4] Eating is The best way to receive these essential nutrients. Reduced food consumption may result in insufficient daily intake of these vital vitamins and minerals, significantly impacting sleep and causing interruptions such as sleep fragmentation and insomnia.
2) A Drop in Blood Sugar Levels
Eating little or no food before sleeping may result in a sudden reduction in blood glucose levels. Typically, this activates body systems that aim to raise glucose levels by converting energy reserves such as fat to glucose. Unfortunately, activating these glucose-generating pathways can also result in alertness, anxiety, and other sleep-inhibiting responses.[5]
3) A Reduction in Deep Sleep
Severe calorie restriction has also been associated with decreased deep sleep.[6] Experts agree that deep sleep is essential for restorative sleep, allowing for physical healing and growth. It may also improve the immune system and other vital body functions.
4) Hormonal Fluctuation
Extreme dieting can cause tremendous stress in the body and the mind. This strain can trigger the release of cortisol (the body’s primary stress hormone). Cortisol naturally rises at night and peaks in the morning to help you get up, but if you don’t eat enough, it can peak too early and wake you up early.[5] Elevated cortisol levels make it difficult to fall asleep and impair restorative sleep quality, leaving you tired even after a whole night’s sleep.
How to Improve Your Sleep and Nutrition
You shouldn’t have to give up maintaining an ideal figure and weight through dieting so you can sleep better.
Finding the right balance is the key to getting the best of both worlds. Instead of viewing diet and sleep as separate entities, consider them integral components of your overall well-being.
Here are some things you can do to improve your sleep and nutrition while maintaining a healthy dieting routine.
1) Eat More Whole, Nutrient-Dense Foods
Choose a balanced diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins. These foods contain vitamins and minerals, like magnesium, which improve physical health and sleep quality.
2) Mindful Eating Practices
Pay close attention to your hunger cues and develop a pleasant relationship with food. Avoid rigid dietary rules that can lead to feelings of deprivation and stress.
3) Set Up a Sleep-Friendly Routine
Make good sleep hygiene a priority. You can do this by creating a relaxing bedtime routine, ensuring your bedroom is an excellent resting place, and limiting your screen time before bed.
Final Consideration
It is a good idea to discuss optimizing your sleep and diet with your doctor.
Your doctor can help you determine what’s keeping you from sleeping, such as a possible sleep disorder, and suggest a nutrition plan that works best for you.
References:
- Greer, S. M., Goldstein, A. N., & Walker, M. P. (2013). The impact of sleep deprivation on food desire in the human brain. Nature communications, 4, 2259. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms3259
- Ikonte, C. J., Mun, J. G., Reider, C. A., Grant, R. W., & Mitmesser, S. H. (2019). Micronutrient Inadequacy in Short Sleep: Analysis of the NHANES 2005-2016. Nutrients, 11(10), 2335. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11102335
- Spiegel, K., Tasali, E., Penev, P., & Van Cauter, E. (2004). Brief communication: Sleep curtailment in healthy young men is associated with decreased Leptin levels, elevated ghrelin levels, and increased hunger and appetite. Annals of Internal Medicine, 141(11), 846. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-141-11-200412070-00008
- Binks, H., E Vincent, G., Gupta, C., Irwin, C., & Khalesi, S. (2020). Effects of Diet on Sleep: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 12(4), 936. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12040936
- Thau, L., Gandhi, J., & Sharma, S. (2023). Physiology, Cortisol. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538239/
- Lauer, C. J., & Krieg, J. C. (2004). Sleep in eating disorders. Sleep medicine reviews, 8(2), 109–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1087-0792(02)00122-3
