Will that chocolate cake really give me nightmares?

Maybe it’s because Hallowe’en just passed and all that candy is sitting around calling our names from the cupboards, but I have talked with many friends whose sleep has been less than wonderful lately.

It made me wonder, is there any real science behind what we eat and how we sleep?

I know this is a deep rabbit hole. I’m not professing to give any profound diet advice, but rather share a few tidbits about the legends of food and drink that is meant to promote a blissful snooze, or perhaps might prevent one.

First let’s explore the positive connections. One seasonal connection between sleep and food is the good old turkey. Turkey meat contains tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes melatonin production (a hormone that helps regulate our sleep.) However, it’s not a large meal that helps – just the protein. This is not a rationalization for that second helping as a midnight snack.

On the theme of protein, nuts are another great evening snack that research has shown helps us sleep well. Both almonds (high in magnesium, which helps muscles relax) and walnuts (which contain melatonin, as do almonds) are great if you need a wee something after dinner.

How about that glass of warm milk your grandparents might have recommended? That will work, both from the calming effect of a warm beverage and from the tryptophan in the milk. Similarly, the cup of camomile tea is calming in the cup and from its flavones, which are a type of antioxidant. And get this: adding honey will help, as it aids in reducing stress-induced corticosterone levels.

If you’d like to step out of the old traditions and be adventurous, try kiwi fruit as an evening snack. Research is not conclusive yet, but scientists say it’s possible vitamin C in kiwi fruit helps with better sleep. Vitamin C is another antioxidant.

On to the negative connections between food and sleep. Now, about that chocolate cake, it turns out chocolate is good for your health in a few ways but the benefits work best when you consume it earlier in the day, during your active periods, just like coffee with its caffeine. Its high flavonoid content helps boost our metabolism and our mood, as well as having a positive effect on our cardiovascular system and our cognitive brain functions.

Chocolate at breakfast (in moderate amounts) can even help regulate our circadian rhythms, especially for people out of sync, like night-shift workers and jet-lagged travellers. So perhaps it’s best to leave that piece of cake until the next morning. It might not give you nightmares, but it won’t help you rest well.

The good news is, this certainly supports the idea that hot chocolate or a chocolate croissant is a fine idea at breakfast. That must have been why I felt so good in France last month.

I have one last tidbit to offer—don’t eat those evening tidbits too late or your body will have to work hard to process them. Our digestion slows by 50% when we sleep, so it takes longer to take care of that snack. Spicy foods and acidic ingredients, like tomatoes or alcohol, are especially difficult. I know those are the ones that might give me strange dreams when they are on the menu.

Of course, regular rhythms are one of the big keys for achieving a peaceful and restorative sleep. The general rule is adults should have seven to eight hours of sleep to maintain overall health. That helps us store memories and repair muscles.

Just like meditation or putting our devices down can help calm our mind before sleeping, more fresh air and exercise can help with our muscles, giving our body an incentive to go into low wave, deep sleep for the repair work.

I’m not suggesting you have to eat something before bed but if you do, I hope it’s a wee something that brings sweet dreams for a pleasant tomorrow.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.