Light Dinner Recipes For A Good Night Sleep

When people give advice on how to get better sleep it usually has to do with limiting electronics and keeping your bed clean. There’s one important aspect that affects the sleep that you’re probably overlooking, that’s dinner. 

In order for the body to carry out its daily functions such as hormone regulation and neurotransmitters (both needed for sleep), certain nutrients are needed. Some foods can impact your physical comfort, maybe giving you headaches, increasing heart rate, or stomach cramps. The more scientist do studies into how food affects our bodies the more we learn how strong the correlation between sleep and nutrition is. 

What Type Of Foods Will Aid Your Sleep?

• Nutrient-rich: According to the NCBI, people who are deficient in certain nutrients like vitamin c and d, zinc, and iron are most likely to get less sleep because of it.  
• Less fat: fried food and high-fat meals (usually meats) are commonly related to indigestion which may cause stomach cramps at night and physical discomfort. 
• Balanced meals: it’s not recommended to be on special diets (low-carb, low-protein, high-salt) since eating high glycemic index foods before bed usually has a positive effect on sleep. Therefore cutting carbs completely at dinner is not the best for good sleep. 
• Easy to digest: find out which foods don’t work well with your digestive system, everyone’s body is different. 
• Not stimulating: nothing with too much sugar or caffeine in it. 

Dinner Meals For Better Sleep 

1. Taco Rice Bowl

With your rice bowl choose a lean protein to complement such as chicken, turkey, or black beans with a mixture of low sodium spices. Make some jasmine rice and add some lime juice and zest to the meat, then top the meal with some cilantro. 

This meal allows you to get in all of the food groups. You have vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins. For a full range of sleep-supporting, tasty nutrients, serve with a simple pico de gallo salsa with shredded red cabbage.

Add some avocado to it for a good amount of healthy fats that aid in regulating blood pressure. The best thing about this recipe is that it can easily be catered for vegetarians and meat lovers. The trick as a meat eater however is to choose a lean protein, remembering to cut out those hard-to-digest fats. 

Another great thing about this recipe is that you can make the meat and taco sauce to stick in the freezer. This recipe is super easy and healthy, plus it tastes great. 

2. Wraps 

Wraps and sandwiches are always a practical solution when it comes to a good and balanced meal. If you’re a meat-eater, using a low sodium turkey meat or rotisserie breast are great low-fat options of protein. 

Turkey provides loads of vitamins and minerals and is one of the top proteins to aid sleep. Wrap some nice greens, tomatoes, and your favorite vegetables in a tortilla or in a flatbread. If you are prone to indigestion, chili peppers or spicy sauces are one thing you may skip. 

If you are looking for a vegetarian option for this meal you can use tofu or satan. These two non-meat proteins can be cooked on the pan or in the oven. A great hack for an increased burst of flavor is to marinade these proteins for half an hour before cooking them. 

Both of these are low in fat and very easy to digest. Pair this meal with a lively side salad, bake some homemade french fries, a bag of chips, or some sliced fruit for a touch of sweetness.

3. Quinoa Salad 

As one of the world’s most popular health foods, quinoa is also great for a good night’s sleep. ​​Quinoa contains, healthy carbs and proteins, phosphorus, potassium, lutein, and zeaxanthin, along with other minerals. This superfood is also high in fiber, almost twice the fiber content of other grains. 

Fiber can help reduce blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, increase fullness, and aid in weight loss. Therefore a good quinoa salad before bed isn’t just helping your sleep but helps with so many other health factors.

Cook and combine chopped tomatoes, baby greens, olives, dried currant, maize, scallions, and walnuts into the cooled quinoa. Top the salad with a dressing or vinaigrette. 

If you are looking for more protein to add to the meal you can add a hard-boiled egg, some salmon, or chickpeas. This salad is also a great option for anyone who is gluten-free. If you have given up on staple foods such as bread or pasta then quinoa is a good carbohydrate to incorporate into your diet. 

4. A Hearty Chicken Soup 

It is simple to see why chicken broth, with its relaxing heat, rich fragrant scent, and traditional flavor profile, is American comfort food. Soups are usually pleasant and can be an easy means of getting a little hydration and healthy veggies into your diet. Chicken is one of the animal proteins that is leaner and has a less fat content. 

The lightness of chicken broth also makes it a great alternative for those who are feeling under the weather or lack appetite. Either way, chicken broth is a good choice for a wholesome dinner that is nutritious and easy to digest.

Chicken broth can be consumed in a number of dishes, by itself, through a creamy chicken casserole or a noodle soup. Hundreds of chicken broth and thousands of homemade recipes are also available. Regardless of how you like, chicken broth is a low-calorie alternative packed with health benefits and nutrients

Begin by sautéing garlic, onions, and carrots, then throw in some chopped mushrooms. Add reduced-sodium bread, fresh sliced tomatoes, and other veggies that you enjoy. Finally, toss in the chopped cooked chicken and a few shredded spinach or greens. 

5. Vegetable Marinara Sauce And Pasta 

If you are a pasta lover but are struggling to find a meal that fits the criteria in aiding sleep then this one is for you. Marinara sauces are easy to create, and a ton of lycopene is packed in a cooked tomato base. 

The onion and garlic and give it a boost of vitamin D and calcium together with minced carrots and portobello mushrooms. In the end, you’re really just adding a big scoop of nutritious and delicious vegetables to some filling carbohydrates. Partner with whole grain or even bean-based pasta to make a well-balanced. 

If you really need some meat in the meal then choose a lean protein such as fish, chicken, or turkey. 

Since the marinara sauce is such a rich source of vitamin C it makes your meals a great choice for promoting a strong immune system. With this meal, you’ll also consume 40% of your required vitamin A, 7% of calcium, and 10% of iron necessities for the day. 

Since it is filled with just vegetables this meal is super easy to digest. If you have a sensitive stomach this is such a simple get a nutritious meal. With the good carbohydrates, it is also filling and satiating. This is a great meal that can also be easily made using the instant pot, find more information on Corrie cooks. 

Marinara sauce can be frozen, this makes it a good meal to cook and pre-plan for those busy days or days when you don’t want to cook dinner. Having healthy frozen meals ready in your fridge prevents you from eating unhealthy and possible indigestion-causing foods before bed.

As a general rule, eat dinner three hours before bedtime, and avoid consuming caffeinated food and drinks six hours before bed. To help your mind and body unwind before sleep, enjoy a steaming cup of milk or vitamin-infused sleep topic to help boost the immune system and promote skincare. What you eat and drink before bedtime can have a huge impact on your sleep quality. That said, try the recipes above for some much-needed uninterrupted sleep.