What This Top Chef Eats—And Avoids—To Get A Great Night's Sleep

As a chef, restaurant owner, cookbook author, and avid cyclist I am constantly on the go. Through it all, I’ve learned that a good night’s rest goes a long way!

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Ginger is an amazing ingredient with numerous properties to help you achieve a restful night’s sleep. Steeping some ginger in hot water and drinking before bed improves digestion, calms any nausea, and promotes muscle relaxation. Not to mention, it tastes great!

2. Mint

Mint is a great stress reliever and relaxant. Having a cup of peppermint tea will not only ease your mind, but the menthol in the herb will also serve as a muscle relaxant.

3. Raw honey

While I don’t condone sugar, having a spoonful of raw honey before bed (whether alone or in your tea) has been proven to improve sleep. Your liver works hard all night and needs a substance called glycogen to function properly, and raw honey has enough glycogen to sustain a full eight hours of sleep.

4. Cherries

Cherries may not be the first food that comes to mind when you think of a good night’s rest, but these tart little fruits contain melatonin, a chemical shown to drastically help regulating sleep patterns.

Avocados are a great source of magnesium, which has been shown to improve quality of sleep and calm stress. Having a bit in the evening will be sure to help you relax before bed.

6. Bananas

If you need a late-night snack, bananas are a great option. They are easily and quickly digested and, like avocados, are a good source of magnesium. Plus, they are high in potassium, which is great for muscle recovery.

Believe it or not, I often opt for slightly unripe bananas. The extra starch helps feed healthy bacteria in the gut to promote baseline health.

1. Caffeine

That after-dinner coffee lingers in your system longer than you realize. It can actually take up to 5 hours for caffeine to leave your system. While it may seem obvious not to knock back an expresso before bed, caffeine can sneak into your diet in other ways besides coffee, such as dark chocolate.

2. Sugar

Sugar, like caffeine, is a stimulant, and eating sweets before bed can cause you to toss and turn. This will prevent you from falling into the deep sleep you need to wake up feeling well-rested. Instead, more likely than not, you’ll wake up feeling groggy and tired.

3. Spicy Foods

Fiery, acidic foods disrupt sleep because they can cause heartburn or indigestion. When enjoying these foods, have them at least three hours before bed to give yourself time to digest.

4. Alcohol

A nightcap to end your evening may help you fall asleep quickly, but it will severely impact your quality of sleep. It prevents the kind of deep sleep you need to feel well-rested in the morning.