World Sleep Day: Nutritionist reveals 6 best foods for better sleep

This year's World Sleep Day falls on March 13th, with the theme "Sleep Well, Live Better." Adults spend approximately 6 to 8 hours sleeping each day—a vital component of life—making sleep quality crucially important. Registered UK Nutritional Therapist Lam Chun-fai explains that diet and sleep share a bidirectional relationship. Proper dietary habits can not only help induce sleep but also improve sleep quality, increasing the proportion of deep sleep while reducing instances of waking easily or insomnia.

Struggling with Insomnia or Night Waking After Late-Night Snacks or Sweet Drinks? 

Regarding sleep-related dietary details, controlling sugar intake is a key factor often overlooked. Lam Chun-fai states, "Blood sugar stability has an important relationship with sleep. Managing sugar intake well can stabilize blood glucose levels, reduce chances of waking during the night, and thereby improve sleep quality. If you consume excessive refined carbohydrates or high-sugar foods before bedtime, it can cause blood sugar to spike and crash dramatically, leading to problems like difficulty falling asleep or waking easily in the middle of the night."

In terms of food types, consuming foods rich in tryptophan can aid sleep. Once ingested, tryptophan is converted in the brain into serotonin and also transforms into melatonin, helping to induce sleepiness. Lam points out that tryptophan is commonly found in high-protein foods. Therefore, dairy products like milk, chicken breast, salmon, unsweetened yogurt, eggs, tofu, and soy milk—consumed in theory—can all help promote sleep. Additionally, pairing these with foods rich in magnesium, calcium, vitamin B6, and moderate amounts of high-fiber carbohydrates can also be beneficial, while avoiding excessive refined starches and sugar.

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Furthermore, Lam reminds residents with late-night snacking habits that such snacks should be avoided if possible, and timing should be carefully considered. First, it's inadvisable to eat strongly flavored foods before bed. Second, it's best to finish main meals 2 to 3 hours before going to bed. Otherwise, eating a large meal close to bedtime can disrupt sleep, affect sleep quality, and easily lead to digestive issues like acid reflux. If genuinely hungry and struggling to fall asleep, Lam suggests choosing one or two light, healthy snacks such as half a cup of milk, half a banana, a small amount of whole-wheat crackers, a small handful of pistachios, or cherries—keeping energy intake under 200 calories, and waiting at least one hour after this light snack before lying down.

Do Sleep Gummies Effectively Aid Sleep? Who Are They Suitable For?

Recently, sleep gummies containing melatonin or other sleep-promoting ingredients have become popular. Lam believes such gummies might help with falling asleep in the short term—for example, for those struggling with jet lag or shift work—but the ingredient dosages may be several times higher than natural food sources. Long-term excessive intake could potentially disrupt the body's own hormone production. Scientifically, there are no large-scale studies demonstrating absolute effectiveness in improving long-term sleep quality or treating insomnia. Therefore, it's best to consult a doctor or nutritional therapist before taking them.

Expert Profile: Lam Chun-fai
Registered Nutritional Therapist with the Federation of Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (FNTP), UK