Find your rhythm

What you eat and when you eat it matters. Here's how you can time meals for better performance and sleep.

Get in tune with your body’s clock

If you eat more of your calories earlier in the day, you can:

Busy schedules can make it difficult to eat more in the morning. Try these simple strategies to make the most of your body's natural rhythms.

  1. Keep dinner light. Eating more in the morning may stimulate the hormones that help you feel satisfied, which can make you less likely to overeat at night.
  2. Prepare dinner in advance. Plan healthy meals you can pull together quickly. Try using the slow cooker or prepare weeknight meals on the weekends.
  3. You can eat and exercise. Follow an early-evening workout with vegetables, healthy protein, and fiber-rich whole grains.
  4. Turn in early. You’ll be less likely to snack, and you’ll have a better chance of getting the rest your brain and body require.

Eat for better sleep

The foods you choose can make the difference between a restless and a restorative night. It's a cycle: With better sleep, you're less likely to make poor food choices.

Sleeping well affects so much more than mood! As you sleep:

  1. Your blood pressure and body temperature drop.
  2. You release growth hormone, which can increase muscle mass and reduce body fat.
  3. Your muscles repair themselves.
  4. Your brain rewires itself, mapping new connections and discarding old ones.
That's some pretty amazing stuff!

You won't get the benefits of a good night's sleep without achieving deep and rapid eye-movement (REM) sleep. These tips can help.

  1. Choose night meals carefully. Protein-rich foods (such as fish, chicken, or lean meat) and high-quality carbohydrates can make you less likely to feel too full, which can disrupt sleep.)
  2. Drink tart cherry juice before bed. It contains melatonin, which can help you fall asleep more quickly and sleep longer.
  3. If you snack, snack smartly. Late-night nibbles should promote healthy blood sugar levels. Try Greek yogurt with flax seeds, low-fat cheese with raw veggies, or peanut butter with apple slices or crackers.
  4. Don’t skip breakfast. Breakfast cues the master clock in your brain, priming your systems for the day keeping you on the proper sleep-wake cycle.