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What to eat (and avoid) for a better night's rest

At Devon Duvets, we believe that quality sleep is about more than just bedding – it’s about the choices we make in every part of our daily lives. While our handcrafted, natural wool duvets are designed to help you drift off in comfort, there’s something else that plays a powerful role in how well you sleep – and that’s your diet.

 Many of us know that too much caffeine can make it difficult to fall asleep, but the connection between food and sleep is more complex. Certain ingredients can support your body’s natural rhythms, while others could be impacting on your ability to achieve a great night’s sleep.

What foods should I avoid before bedtime?

Eating too close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep, especially if your meals are heavy or rich in certain ingredients. Here are some of the most common culprits:

  • Caffeine: This is not just found in coffee but also in tea, energy/carbonated drinks and chocolate. Caffeine can linger in your system for up to eight hours, affecting your ability to fall asleep naturally.
  • Alcohol: Although it might make you feel drowsy initially, alcohol interferes with the quality of sleep as it can disrupt the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) cycles in your sleep, thereby increasing the likelihood of waking during the night.
  • Sugary or spicy foods: Whilst it takes a lot to beat a good curry or a tempting dessert, eaten too close to bedtime can cause indigestion or fluctuations in your blood sugar. Both will make it harder to drift off easily. 
  • Highly processed snacks: Foods with additives and preservatives can affect gut health – and you’d be amazed at how big a role your gut can play in regulating sleep and in your health and wellbeing overall.

What foods can help boost relaxation and a more restful sleep?

Thankfully, there are plenty of natural foods that can help encourage relaxation and restful sleep. Many contain nutrients that will support the production of melatonin (the 'sleep' hormone) and serotonin (the ‘feel-good’ hormone).

  • Tart cherries: These tasty treats are one of the few natural sources of melatonin. A small bowl or a glass of tart cherry juice in the evening could help you fall asleep more easily.
  • Bananas: These are rich in magnesium and potassium, which can help to relax muscles and your nervous system.
  • Nuts: Packed with magnesium , nuts can also can help promote melatonin production. Opt for unsalted and unroasted almonds and walnuts.
  • Whole grains: Oats, brown rice and quinoa are rich in complex carbohydrates that support the body’s natural production of serotonin.
  • Herbal teas: A perfect subsistute for caffeinated teas, try herbal teas with chamomile, passion flower and valerian root. All have calming properties and are traditionally used to ease tension and prepare the body for sleep.

Foods such as yoghurt, kefir, fermented vegetables and fibre-rich fruit help to support the good bacteria that lives in your gut and – in turn these bacteria have been shown to boost your sleep quality. These foods are known as probiotic and prebiotic foods and can be easily added to your diet. Healthy gut bacteria also play a role in contributing to our gut defence system and in helping it to maintain normal function.

Q&A: Your most asked questions about diet and sleep

1.What are the best foods to eat before bed for better sleep?

Some of the best evening snacks to support sleep include a small banana with a handful of almonds, a bowl of tart cherries, or a cup of herbal tea such as chamomile. These foods contain natural compounds that relax the body and promote the production of melatonin and serotonin, helping you fall asleep more easily.

2. Does eating late at night affect sleep quality?

Tucking into a large or heavy meal late in the evening can impact how well you sleep. This is because your digestive system will be active at a time when your body should be winding down. Heavy late night meals can also lead to discomfort, such as heartburn, reflux or disturbed sleep. It’s best to eat least two to three hours before bedtime to allow your body to digest your food more effectively.

3. Can certain drinks help you sleep better?

Warm, caffeine-free drinks such as chamomile tea, passionflower tea or even warm milk have been used for generations to promote relaxation before bed. Another delicious alternative is Rooibos, a naturally caffeine-free tea that comes from a bushy shrub. These drinks can have a calming effect and are often part of a soothing bedtime routine.

4. Is it true that alcohol helps you to fall asleep?

While alcohol might make you feel drowsy at first, it actually disrupts your natural sleep cycles – particularly the REM part of sleep – and can lead to more frequent awakenings during the night. This means you may not feel as rested the next day, even if you feel you slept for a full eight hours.

5. How does gut health affect sleep?

It’s important to keep healthy the ‘good’ bacteria that lives in our gut, as these support supports the body’s ability to produce serotonin, which helps regulate mood and sleep. Eating a variety of fibre-rich fruits, vegetables and fermented foods helps maintain gut health and has been linked to improved sleep patterns.

Final Thoughts: What else can help me sleep better?

Just as we believe that making a few small lifestyle tweaks to ensure a healthier diet can help with our sleep, we know, through over 17 years of experience, that your choice of bedding can also impact on our nightly rest. 

The perfect sleep environment means using natural materials that are breathable and temperature regulating. Our wool duvets, toppers and pillows are just that – and they’re also chemical-free and naturally resistant to dust mites. Individually handcrafted in Devon by our seamstresses and using luxurious, fully traceable 100% British wool, they’re the natural complement to a restful lifestyle.

Visit our website to discover more about how our award-winning natural bedding is helping people to sleep better.