Life Kit Podcast Summary: "What to Eat for Better Sleep"

Release Date: April 29, 2025

Introduction

In the April 29, 2025 episode of Life Kit, hosted by Marielle Segarra, listeners delve into the intricate relationship between diet and sleep. Marielle explores how the foods we consume not only influence our sleep quality but how our sleep patterns can, in turn, affect our dietary choices. This episode features an insightful conversation with Marie Pierre Saintonge, a nutrition scientist and researcher at Columbia University, who co-authored a cookbook aimed at enhancing sleep through mindful eating.

Understanding the Connection Between Diet and Sleep

Marielle Segarra opens the discussion by highlighting common late-night cravings for carbohydrates and sweets, questioning how these dietary choices impact sleep quality. Marie Pierre Saintonge responds by emphasizing that various nutrients, including types of fats, sugar, and fiber, significantly influence how well we sleep.

Marie Pierre Saintonge [00:47]: "What we eat in terms of various nutrients like types of fats and sugar and fiber can all play a role on sleep quality at night."

Key Hormones: Melatonin and Serotonin

A central theme in the conversation is the role of hormones like melatonin and serotonin in regulating sleep.

• Melatonin: This hormone governs the sleep-wake cycle, helping individuals fall asleep and stay asleep. Melatonin production relies on amino acids, particularly tryptophan, which must be obtained through diet as the body cannot produce it naturally.

  Marie Pierre Saintonge [03:49]: "Melatonin is a hormone that regulates your sleep wake cycle. So that's important for helping one fall asleep, remain asleep throughout the night."

• Serotonin: Known as a "feel-good" neurotransmitter, serotonin not only enhances mood but also plays a crucial role in the sleep-wake cycle.

  Marie Pierre Saintonge [05:09]: "Serotonin is basically a messenger that relays information across the brain throughout the body. It's also relevant for sleep because serotonin is considered to be a feel good type of neurotransmitter."

Essential Nutrients for Better Sleep

Takeaway One focuses on incorporating tryptophan-rich foods into the diet. Contrary to popular belief, consuming tryptophan-rich foods like turkey does not act as a sedative immediately but contributes to melatonin production over time.

Marie Pierre Saintonge [06:08]: "The story related to turkey and feeling sleepy... it's not that far-fetched in a sense that yes, turkey is a good source of tryptophan."

Source Foods for Tryptophan:

• Animal-Based: Beef, chicken, lamb, pork, salmon, tuna, and dairy products like yogurt.
• Plant-Based: Tofu, various legumes (e.g., lentils), and nuts.

Takeaway Two emphasizes the importance of consuming foods rich in serotonin and melatonin, as well as essential micronutrients such as magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6, and folate.

Top 20 Sleep-Supporting Ingredients

Marie Pierre and co-author Kat Craddock curated a list of 20 powerhouse ingredients backed by research to enhance sleep quality. These ingredients are versatile and can be easily incorporated into daily meals.

Top 20 Ingredients Include:

• Nuts & Seeds: Almonds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts
• Fruits: Bananas, cherries, pineapple
• Grains & Legumes: Barley, brown rice, lentils, oats, white beans
• Protein Sources: Salmon, tofu, turkey
• Vegetables: Spinach, tomatoes
• Others: Extra virgin olive oil, ginger, yogurt

Marie Pierre Saintonge [08:05]: "Many of those have studies that support their benefit for sleep... Individuals could start to incorporate some of these foods into their own diet."

Delicious Recipes for Better Sleep

The cookbook co-authored by Marie Pierre and Kat Craddock offers a variety of recipes designed to support sleep health. Some highlighted recipes from the book include:

• Cherry Ginger Granola with Cocoa Nibs: A tangy and crunchy option perfect for breakfast or a snack.
• Overnight Buckwheat Porridge: Enhanced with slivered almonds for added texture.
• Muffin Tin Quiche: Ideal for brunch or a light lunch with leftovers.
• Soy Braised Butternut Squash with Miso Butter and Black Sesame
• Whole Grain Chicken Porridge with Scallions and Sesame Cashew Crunch
• Turkey and Black Bean Burrito Bowl with Salsa Verde and Avocado
• Banana Chamomile Shortcake with Greek Yogurt and Sliced Almonds

Marie Pierre Saintonge [10:19]: "I love the cherry ginger granola with cocoa nibs... it goes in a week. My kids, my husband, we have that granola any time of day."

Foods That Can Disrupt Sleep

While certain foods promote better sleep, others can hinder it. Marie Pierre discusses the detrimental effects of refined carbohydrates, added sugars, caffeine, and alcohol on sleep quality.

• Refined Carbohydrates & Added Sugars: Higher intake is linked to an increased risk of insomnia.

  Marie Pierre Saintonge [12:13]: "Women who had more refined carbohydrates in their diet and more added sugars had higher risk of insomnia."

• Caffeine: A stimulant that can significantly disrupt sleep, especially since the body's ability to metabolize caffeine diminishes with age.

  Marie Pierre Saintonge [12:13]: "Our body's ability to metabolize or process caffeine slows down with age."

• Alcohol: Although a sedative, alcohol can lead to disrupted sleep cycles and reduced sleep quality.

Marie Pierre Saintonge [12:13]: "Alcohol is a sedative. It can lead to more disrupted sleep in the second half of the night."

Takeaway Three advises individuals to limit these substances to enhance sleep quality.

Dietary Tips for Specific Sleep Challenges

Marie Pierre offers tailored dietary strategies for individuals facing unique sleep disruptions:

• Traveling and Jet Lag:

  • Adopt Local Eating Schedules: Align meal times with the new time zone to help reset circadian rhythms.

    Marie Pierre Saintonge [14:10]: "Try to adopt the eating schedule of your new time zone very quickly."

• Night Shift Workers:

  • Meal Timing: Focus on consuming larger meals during daytime hours and lighter snacks if necessary during night shifts.

    Marie Pierre Saintonge [15:03]: "Ideally, it would be to not eat too much at night or not eat at all in the middle of the night."

Final Recommendations and Recap

To wrap up the episode, Marielle and Marie Pierre summarize the key strategies for improving sleep through diet:

1. Incorporate Tryptophan-Rich Foods: Boost serotonin and melatonin levels naturally.
2. Consume Foods High in Serotonin, Melatonin, and Essential Micronutrients: Focus on magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6, and folate.
3. Limit Intake of Refined Carbohydrates, Added Sugars, Alcohol, and Caffeine: Reduce consumption of these sleep-disrupting substances.

Top 20 Sleep-Supporting Ingredients: Almonds, bananas, barley, brown rice, cherries, chia seeds, extra virgin olive oil, ginger, lentils, oats, pineapple, pumpkin seeds, salmon, spinach, tofu, tomatoes, turkey, walnuts, white beans, and yogurt.

Marie Pierre Saintonge [15:35]: "Increased intakes of fruits and vegetables... eat more of this, eat more of that, and maybe having more of this."

Marielle encourages listeners to explore additional Life Kit episodes on related topics, such as recovering from a bad night's sleep and debunking common sleep myths. For those seeking deeper insights, a special newsletter guide to better sleep is available for subscription.

Production Credits

This episode of Life Kit was produced by Sam Yellow Horse Kessler, with visuals by Beck Harlan and digital editing by Malika Garib. The supervising editor was Megan Kane, and Beth Donovan served as the executive producer. The production team also included Andy Taegle, Claire Marie Schneider, Margaret Serino, and Sylvie Douglas. Engineering support was provided by Gilly Moon and Zoe Vengenhoven, with fact-checking assistance from Aida Purasad.

By integrating these dietary strategies and focusing on nutrient-rich foods, listeners can take proactive steps toward achieving better sleep and overall well-being.