Key Points
Create a calming bedtime routine to signal your body that it’s time to wind down.
Limit screen time in the evening to reduce exposure to blue light, which can disrupt sleep.
Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, to support your body’s natural rhythm.
The food you eat can play a big role in how you sleep. So much so that health experts often discuss the best foods to eat for deeper sleep, along with the ideal times to consume them. But what you do after dinner—i.e., your evening routine—is just as important.
“Your evening routine is one of the most powerful and underutilized levers for regulating metabolism, hormones, and sleep quality,” says Emily Mitchell, RDN, CSSD, CDCES, a registered dietitian at Love.Life, a holistic health, longevity, and wellness club in El Segundo, California. In other words, sleep isn’t just “rest,” Mitchell notes. “It’s an active period of repair, detoxification, and recalibration, tightly connected to what you do in the two to three hours before bed,” she explains.
So, what can you do after dinner to pave the way for optimal rest? Read on for the top three post-dinner habits for better sleep, as suggested by health professionals.
Meet Our Expert
Dawn Menning, MS, RD, CDCES, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist at Nutu
Emily Mitchell, RDN, CSSD, CDCES, a registered dietitian at Love.Life, a holistic health, longevity, and wellness club in El Segundo, California
Establish a Gentle Pre-Bedtime Routine
After dinner, a consistent, gentle wind-down routine can help you transition out of the day and into sleep, notes Angela Holliday-Bell, MD, a physician and certified sleep specialist at The Solution is Sleep. “This can include dimming the lights, stepping away from screens, and doing something relaxing like reading or light stretching,” she explains.
From there, you can layer in supportive elements like changing into breathable cotton pajamas and laying on cotton bedding. “This matters because your body needs to cool down slightly to fall asleep, and 100 percent cotton helps regulate temperature and prevent overheating, which can otherwise lead to more nighttime awakenings,” says Holliday-Bell.
By taking time to wind down after dinner, you’ll set the tone for better rest. The reason? “When you stay mentally ‘on’ too close to bedtime, your body remains in a sympathetic (fight-or-flight) state, which delays your ability to fall asleep and reduces sleep depth,” says Mitchell. Creating a buffer period allows your nervous system to gradually shift into parasympathetic, or rest-and-digest mode, where sleep initiation becomes much easier, she explains. What’s more, it helps lower cortisol (a stress hormone) and increases melatonin (the sleep hormone), making it easier for your body to relax.
Over time, repeating a wind-down routine will signal to your brain that sleep is coming, making it easier to fall asleep, explains Holliday-Bell.
Tips
“To keep it consistent long-term, anchor [your routine] to the same time each night and keep it simple so it feels doable even on busy days,” Holliday-Bell says.
Create a predictable ritual (i.e., doing the same activities each night) to condition your brain, Mitchell recommends.
Remove blue light exposure (phones, tablets, and televisions) about 60 minutes before sleep, and replace it with calming, low-stimulation activities like reading a physical book, journaling, meditation, or box breathing, suggests Mitchell.
If you must look at a screen, use blue light filters or glasses as a transition step, Mitchell offers.
“If your mind races, do a ‘brain dump’ list to externalize stressors before bed,” says Mitchell.
Engage in Light Movement, Like a Short Walk
Taking a short, gentle walk after dinner can significantly support better sleep, according to Dawn Menning, MS, RD, CDCES, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist at Nutu. “Even 10 to 15 minutes of light movement helps the body regulate blood sugar levels, which can prevent late-night energy spikes and crashes that interfere with sleep quality,” Menning explains.
“Physiologically, this kind of activity supports glucose uptake by the muscles and reduces the need for a large insulin response, helping the body transition more smoothly into a resting state. It can also aid digestion and reduce feelings of heaviness that might otherwise disrupt sleep,” adds Menning.
Tips
To make this habit sustainable, pair your walk with an existing routine, such as cleaning up after dinner or using it to unwind with a partner or family member, Menning suggests.
Aim for a low-intensity walk, as the goal is to signal relaxation rather than stimulation, Menning offers.
Call a friend or listen to an audiobook on your walk.
Sip on a Warm Drink
For a good night’s rest, Holliday-Bell recommends sipping on a warm, soothing drink after dinner. Not only will the habit help you wind down, but it will provide your body with sleep-supporting nutrients, so long as you choose the drink wisely.
For example, warm dairy milk (including lactose-free options) contains tryptophan, according to Holliday-Bell. “[This is] an amino acid your body uses to produce serotonin and melatonin, which regulates your sleep cycle,” Holliday-Bell explains. “It also provides magnesium and calcium, which support relaxation and help promote deeper, more restorative sleep,” she notes. Another option is golden milk, a traditional Indian drink made of warm milk and turmeric. Its ingredients can help nighttime inflammation and support sleep, making it a great pre-bedtime drink.
If milk isn’t your thing, try sipping on chamomile tea, which contains antioxidants that promote sleep. Craving something fruity? Consider tart cherry juice, one of the best drinks for better rest, according to dietitians. It naturally provides melatonin, the same hormone that promotes sleep.
Tips
To make this habit stick, pair it with your existing routine so it becomes automatic, notes Holliday-Bell. It’s also a good idea to keep the timing consistent.
“Choose a version you enjoy so it feels like something you look forward to each night,” Holliday-Bell says.
Read the original article on Real Simple
