Nutritionists Think You Should Eat This Fruit Before Bed
We all know the drill. You come home after a long day of work, pour a glass of wine (or beer, if that's more your thing) and pop open a bag of your favorite chips or cookies — all while nestled in bed ready to binge a few episodes on Netflix. The only issue is, that type of nightcap could unfortunately be affecting your sleep.
Registered dietician Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, MS, RD, told Well + Good that what you eat before bed can affect your sleep quality, digestion, circadian rhythms, and possible long-term gut troubles. She also explained that when you eat lying down (i.e. in your bed or on the couch), you "lose the gravity needed to help keep the food you've eaten moving from top to bottom."
However, Beckerman said having a bedtime snack is okay as long as you aren't consuming a huge amount of calories, as that will cause your stomach to spend more time digesting than relaxing during sleep time. So, what is acceptable to eat before bed?
Why you should be reaching for this fruit before bedtime
While there are a lot of negatives to snacking before bed, there are also a few positives. "Having a smaller 200-ish calorie snack — not a meal — can help regulate blood glucose levels and curb cravings," Tracy Lockwood Beckerman told Well + Good.
Late at night, the body can gravitate towards snacks high in refined sugars and carbs, which may persuade you to grab the nearest bag of chips, cookies, or bread. All of these will give your brain a dopamine punch, Beckerman explains. However, they won't do your body, brain, or sleep any favors. Instead, Beckerman highly suggests eating a banana before bed. "Bananas are high in potassium and magnesium, which can help your muscles relax," she said.
Potassium is filled with health benefits. It can help regulate muscle and heart contractions, blood pressure, reduce water retention, prevent kidney stones and osteoporosis, and helps carry messages from the body to the brain and vice versa (via Healthline). Magnesium assists the body with things like muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and can build protein, bone, and DNA (via National Institutes of Health).
If you need something to go with the banana, Beckerman says adding peanut butter can boost your ability to sleep. She calls this bedtime snack the "sleep aid wonder."