Smart Bedtime Snacks To Keep You Asleep

Low Blood Sugar and Sleep

Low blood sugar preventing good sleep is an important concept for both people who sleep throughout the night and also shift workers who sleep during the day. There has been a lot of focus on the idea of not eating after 8 pm. Not eating after 8 pm is designed to allow for a 12hr fast and rest for the digestive system. I like this idea for most people, but it is not a one size fits all. If you are having trouble sleeping at night, fasting after 8 pm might not be working for you. If your blood sugar dips low during the night, that can cause you to wake up or become restless. Having a smart bedtime snack will smooth out your blood sugar curve and allow you to rest more deeply.

Why Low Blood Sugar Wakes You Up

Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia is a stressful event for the body and in response the body releases cortisol. Cortisol is one of your major stress hormones linked to adrenaline and the fight or flight response. It is actually a peak in cortisol that wakes you up in the morning. Therefore if your blood sugar dips you release cortisol and cortisol, in turn, wakes you up. Having a smooth blood sugar curve throughout the night will ensure that cortisol is released only in the morning to get you out of bed.

How low blood sugar affects shift work

Sleeping during the day is going against many different internal rhythms. Most people think about going against the circadian rhythm, but there are many more systems at play. For example, cortisol naturally peaks in the morning and slopes down throughout the day to its lowest point at night allowing for sleep. The digestive system also has its own internal clock which can be seen by the fact that most people have a bowel movement around the same times every day. As much as possible I advise shift workers to keep eating patterns close to the regular daytime schedule. Keeping in mind that low blood sugar prevents restful sleep, it is vital to have a healthy breakfast before trying to sleep during the day. Locking in your eating patterns will also help with rotating shifts as well, one less body system to flip around.

Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, and their Effects on Blood Sugar

As you can see in the above graph, not all food affects your blood sugar the same. This is important to keep in mind as you plan your bedtime snack. Eating simple carbs before bed will set you up for a peak and crash which may wake you from sleep. In order to promote a smooth blood sugar curve, snack on high protein and healthy fats before sleep. If you have a night time sweet tooth, make sure to pair any sugar with protein. My go-to example for this is having a banana with peanut butter.

Portion Size

Portion size is important to keep in mind. You want a small snack to prevent hypoglycemia, but in no way am I advocating a fourth meal of the day. My go-to snack before bed is a couple handfuls of nuts or one banana and peanut butter. For shift workers trying to sleep during the day, make it a full breakfast.

My Top 10 Smart Bedtime Snacks (Protein, Fat, and Tryptophan)

1. Pumpkin Seeds
2. Cooked Edamame
3. One Hard Boiled Egg
4. Protein Shake/Protein Ball
5. Banana or Other Fruit with Nut Butter
6. Hummus and Carrots
7. Small Cup of Greek Yogurt with Fruit and Nuts
8. Meat, a Few Bites Leftover From Dinner
9. Pistachios
10. Guacamole and Seed Crackers

Links To Recipes

Protein Balls https://www.veggieinspired.com/oatmeal-peanut-butter-balls-you-must-try-these/

Seed Crackers https://eatingrules.com/multi-seed-crackers/

Happy Eating and Sleeping!