{"id":26073,"date":"2020-10-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-21T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.saatva.com\/banana-before-bed\/"},"modified":"2023-08-29T16:47:45","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T16:47:45","slug":"banana-before-bed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saatva.com\/blog\/banana-before-bed\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Eating a Banana Before Bed Really Help You Sleep?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Some foods, like Thanksgiving turkey<\/a>, are famous for their sleep-promoting qualities<\/a>. Others you know you’re best off avoiding before bed, like a big espresso drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you often find yourself in the kitchen with the munchies just before bedtime, you might want to consider making a beeline for the fruit bowl instead of the pantry. As it turns out, a banana makes for a surprisingly good choice for a late-night snack<\/a>\u2014especially if you’re feeling not-so-sleepy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMany times when people are hungry, they either can’t go to sleep or wake up due to hunger pangs,” says Amy Goodson<\/a>, RD. Having a little snack, like a small- to medium-sized banana with a spoonful of peanut butter or a glass of milk can help stabilize your blood sugar and satisfy cravings thanks to a filling combination of carbs and protein, she explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But why reach for a banana at night? Here’s what you need to know about how eating this fruit can help support quality Z’s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why a banana before bed is good for you<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If a grumbling tummy tends to keep you up, a banana makes for the perfect bedtime snack because it’s a good source of fiber in the form of resistant starch<\/a>, a carbohydrate that passes through your digestive system without being entirely absorbed, and pectin<\/a>, another type of starch that gives the banana its firm structure and shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both of these nutrients can help you feel more full, and when your hunger’s been satisfied, it’s much easier to get a good night’s sleep, says Goodson. (Considering most of us don’t get in nearly enough fiber<\/a>, the three grams of fiber<\/a> in a banana could also give you the boost you need to get closer to your daily target of 25 grams for women and 31 grams for men, per the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond making you feel more full, there are a number of other ways bananas can improve your sleep, owing to their key nutrients, which include potassium, tryptophan, and magnesium<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the top four ways a banana before bed can help you get more rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helps insomnia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There’s a reason so many people are Googling, “Do bananas help you sleep?” For starters, “the potassium in bananas acts as a natural muscle relaxant,” says Goodson. Plus, tryptophan (the amino acid best-known for triggering Turkey Day snooze-fests) increases the production of calming serotonin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In turn, serotonin contributes to the release of melatonin<\/a>, the neurotransmitter that helps you transition into sleep mode at night. Finally, bananas contain magnesium, which a review in Nutrition Research <\/em>reports can improve sleep quality and duration<\/a> in people who struggle to get a good night’s sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reduces muscle cramps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Waking up with a charley horse is the worst. But a banana\u2014along with a\u00a0glass of water<\/a>\u2014could also help cut your chances of having painful\u00a0nighttime cramps<\/a>. This is because of the muscle-relaxing effects of potassium, says Goodson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eases restless legs syndrome<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While it’s unclear what exactly causes\u00a0restless legs syndrome<\/a>\u00a0(RLS), some research suggests\u00a0vitamin deficiencies<\/a>\u00a0in nutrients including magnesium could be\u00a0causing that frustrating creepy-crawly sensation in your legs at night<\/a>. So, a banana before bed couldn’t hurt (in addition to a good sleep schedule, other lifestyle changes like an\u00a0evening stretching routine<\/a>, and in some cases, medication).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lowers blood pressure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A potassium-rich diet can help lower your blood pressure<\/a>, especially if you’re sensitive to salt, per the American Heart Association. And a medium banana serves up 422 mg of this nutrient or 9% of the daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet, says Goodson. Since potassium is a nutrient of concern for Americans, bananas are one of the best ways you can boost your intake and support a good night’s sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other foods to help sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In general, sticking with a well-balanced diet will help support your sleep health. However, along with the banana, there are many other foods that are particularly sleep-supportive thanks to their unique nutrient profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n