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Diet & Sleep

Anyone who has gone to bed immediately after eating a large meal can likely relate to the associated sleep disruptions. As sleep expert Matt Walker explained in episode #58, it is recommended that you stop eating at least 3 hours before bed, for 2 key reasons:

You’re more likely to experience digestive issues when you lay down immediately after eating a large meal.
Digestion can raise your core body temperature, which can disrupt sleep quality.

In addition to food intake impacting sleep, many people are not aware that sleep quality can actually impact your food intake as well — creating a vicious cycle. When you are sleep-deprived, you increase production of a hormone called ghrelin (which makes you want to eat more) and suppress a hormone called leptin (which promotes satiety). This means that sleep deprivation can actually change your appetite profile, causing you both to eat more and feel less satisfied.

Below is a collection of content diving deeper into the relationship between food and sleep. For more information on sleep, I would strongly recommend listening to our 7-part series with sleep expert, Matthew Walker, Ph.D. where we discuss everything you need to know about sleep, its impact on your health, and how to improve your sleep.

This audio clip is from our sleep series with Matthew Walker, Ph.D. — episode #58 – strategies for sleeping more, sleeping…

This audio clip is from our sleep series with Matthew Walker, Ph.D. — episode #58 – strategies for sleeping more,…

This audio clip is from our sleep series with Matthew Walker, Ph.D. — episode #127 – fasting, gut health, blue light,…

This audio clip is from our sleep series with Matthew Walker, Ph.D. — episode #48 – heart disease, cancer, sexual function,…

This audio clip is from our “Ask Me Anything” episode #31 – Heart rate variability (HRV), alcohol, sleep, and more,…

This episode of The Qualys is from podcast #33 — Matthew Walker, Ph.D., on sleep Part III — which was originally released on April 15, 2019.