High-Carb Meals May Help Induce Sleep

A fascinating new study has come out in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  The authors propose that since carbohydrate intake has been shown to increase the plasma concentration of tryptophan, that high glycemic index meals may help induce sleep.

The authors found that there was a reduction in sleep onset latency (SOL -- the time it takes to fall asleep) by nine minutes in the group that had a high carbohydrate meal four hours before bed time.

In addition, there was no difference between a meal consumed four hours before bedtime and one consumed one hour before bedtime. These data were found only for healthy sleepers -- meaning those who may have insomnia could have different results.

This data follows well with my recommendations for specific foods in the chapter eight of my book. Some of the high gylcemic index foods would be whole wheat and fibers with some type of sweet substance like a jelly, jam or peanut butter. 

This does not mean eating an entire apple pie or cheesecake, but rather, eating a small, sensible snack to raise the glycemic index one to four hours before bed. This research shows great promise for future studies with nutrition and sleep.

(Source:  American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 85, No. 2, 426-430, February 2007 © 2007 American Society for Nutrition)