I'm a Dietitian-What I Refuse To Eat After 7 P.M. if I Want Good Sleep

Food fuels your body-but it also plays a role in how well you sleep. What you eat in the hours before bed can affect everything from how quickly you fall asleep to how rested you feel the next day.

Newsweek spoke to Sasha Watkins, a registered dietitian, about the foods and drinks she avoids after 7 p.m. to help protect her sleep.

Adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night, yet six out of 10 people don't get enough, according to the National Sleep Foundation. For Watkins, what's on the evening menu can make a noticeable difference.

Sugary Foods

A late-night dessert may feel like a harmless treat, but Watkins says it can backfire.

"A sweet dessert or drink late in the evening can send your blood sugar up and then down again, and for some people that dip may leave them feeling more alert just when they should be winding down," she told Newsweek.

Research supports this. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that diets low in fiber and high in saturated fat and sugar were linked to poorer-quality sleep.

Those who ate more fiber tended to spend more time in deep, restorative sleep-the kind that helps the body recharge. In contrast, higher saturated fat intake was linked to less of that deep sleep, while higher sugar intake was associated with more frequent wake-ups during the night.

Rich Meals

Heavy, indulgent foods-often high in fat, oil or sugar-can also interfere with sleep, especially when eaten late.

Watkins, who is head of health at Mindful Chef, said: "A large meal still being digested late on can make reflux more likely and leave the body working when it would rather be winding down. None of this means a proper dinner is off-limits.

"For me it just means a heavy or especially fatty meal may sit better earlier in the day than late in the evening, and as ever, how often you do it matters far more than any single night after 7 p.m."

Alcohol

Alcohol is another evening staple that Watkins avoids.

"The first is alcohol, mostly because it pretends to be helpful when it isn’t," she said. "A nightcap can take the edge off and send you to sleep more quickly, but that’s only half the story."

Research shows even small amounts-around one or two drinks-can reduce rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the stage linked to dreaming and mental recovery. The more alcohol consumed, the more disrupted this stage becomes.

While larger amounts may help people fall asleep faster, sleep is more likely to be broken and less restorative overall.

What Does a Dietitian Eat After 7 p.m.?

Watkins doesn't completely cut off food in the evening-but she keeps things light.

"One of my go-to snacks is two kiwis with a glass of milk," she said.

Indeed, studies have found that kiwis-rich in vitamin C, fiber, potassium and antioxidants-may help improve sleep.

"Two kiwis a day also give you around 4 grams of fiber, so it's a win win," Watkins said.

On average, adults should consume about 28 grams of fiber per day, according to the American Heart Association-so even small increases could help support better sleep.

She said: "Milk seems to work for me. It contains tryptophan, a building block for the sleep hormone melatonin, though a normal glass likely doesn’t hold enough to shift your own melatonin in any real way; the better-supported studies used specially enriched milk rather than the one you have at home."

She believes part of the benefit may be psychological. "I suspect a good part of the comfort is the warm-drink ritual itself, and the wind-down it signals," she said.

Why Timing Matters As Much as What You Eat

For Watkins, timing is just as important as food choice.

She pointed to a small Harvard study that found people who ate the same meals later in the day felt hungrier and burned slightly fewer calories compared to when they ate earlier. Their bodies also showed signs of being more likely to store fat.

But she is quick to stress moderation.

"Your metabolism doesn't flip a switch at 7 p.m., and one late dinner won't undo anything," she said. "What matters more is the overall pattern-how often and how close to bed you tend to eat heavily."

Ultimately, the key is tuning into your own body.

Watkins said: "Worrying about whether you ate too late will likely do more to disturb your sleep than the meal ever could."

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 4:22 AM.