Archive · 20 Sep 2026
Foods and Dinner Timing May Improve Sleep Quality
Sleep helps keep the body healthy and the mind calm.
The food eaten at dinner may affect how well a person sleeps.
Some traditional Indian foods, such as curd rice and moong dal khichdi, may support relaxation and sleep.
Ragi porridge, warm milk and bananas also contain nutrients linked with sleep-related processes.
Heavy, fried, spicy or very sweet foods can make digestion harder.
Coffee and strong tea in the evening may keep the brain awake.
Alcohol may make someone sleepy at first but can disturb sleep later in the night.
Eating a lighter dinner three to four hours before bed may help the body prepare for sleep.
Researchers say food quality and dinner timing can affect how quickly people fall asleep and how deeply they sleep.
Curd rice, moong dal khichdi, ragi porridge, warm milk and bananas are presented as sleep-supportive choices.
Heavy, fried, spicy and sugar-rich foods may slow digestion, increase acidity and cause nighttime awakenings.
Evening coffee and strong tea can remain stimulating for hours, while alcohol may fragment deep sleep.
Experts recommend lighter, balanced dinners finished three to four hours before bedtime instead of relying on sleep supplements.
- Who
- S. Pranav Ragavendra and Apsara Unni of JSS College of Pharmacy discussed the relationship between food and sleep.
- What
- The article explains how evening foods and dinner timing may influence sleep quality.
- When
- The discussion concerns current sleep and lifestyle concerns; it recommends finishing dinner three to four hours before bedtime.
- Where
- The experts are associated with JSS College of Pharmacy in Ooty.
- Why
- Foods influence serotonin and melatonin production, digestion, acidity and the body’s sleep-wake cycle.
- Sleep-supportive foods
- Curd rice, moong dal khichdi, ragi porridge, warm milk and bananas
- Potentially disruptive foods
- Biryani, deep-fried chicken, spicy snacks and sugar-rich desserts
- Evening stimulants
- Coffee and strong tea may reduce total sleep time
- Alcohol’s effect
- It may initially cause drowsiness but can disrupt deep sleep and fragment sleep later
- Recommended dinner timing
- Finish dinner three to four hours before bedtime
- Biochemicals involved
- Serotonin and melatonin help regulate the sleep-wake cycle
- Suggested approach
- Choose lighter, balanced evening meals and maintain consistent dinner timings