When foods don’t help
Dietary changes require consistency to see results, whether you’re hoping for better sleep or a different number on the scale. “Overall diet pattern is more important than the individual foods,” Susie says.
And you’re unlikely to see much of a change in your sleep from your food choices alone if you haven’t also addressed underlying sleep disorders, medications that might interfere with sleep, or habits like bringing your phone into your bed, Tahir says.
If you’ve made some dietary changes and still have trouble getting enough or good-quality sleep, she recommends making sure you also follow these hallmark sleep hygiene rules: Stick to a regular sleep and wake schedule; keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet; limit caffeine after about 1-2 p.m.; and avoid alcohol too close to bedtime.
If you’re frequently waking up during the night or waking up in the morning feeling unrefreshed, talk to a doctor. “There’s no hack, no food, no supplement, no blanket, no mask that’s going to help” if there’s an undiagnosed sleep disorder present, Tahir says. “That we need to address [with] a medical diagnosis and an individualized treatment plan.”
