Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Many of us have our own theories about food, drink and sleep. Maybe it's avoiding coffee after lunch, drinking chamomile tea before bed, or having a warm glass of milk. But what does the science actually say?
Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 bbc.in/3VyyriM
In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander explores the relationship between food and sleep, asking whether changing what we eat and drink can help us get a better night's rest.
Professor Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia University, explains what decades of research have revealed about the links between diet and sleep quality. She discusses why poor sleep can change our food choices, how certain dietary patterns are associated with better sleep, and why scientists are increasingly interested in nutrients such as fibre and tryptophan.
Sleep physician Dr Allie Hare, President of the British Sleep Society, brings the perspective of the clinic. She explains the questions patients ask most often, from caffeine and alcohol to herbal remedies and sleep supplements, and discusses some of the biggest misconceptions people have about improving their sleep.
Together, they discuss whether there really are "sleep foods", what role meal timing might play, and how social media trends and expensive supplements can distract us from the basics.
00:00 Introduction
01:09 What does the evidence say about the link between eating and getting a good night's sleep?
01:41 Does what you eat influence how you sleep?
02:00 What are the most common questions people have about food and sleep?
04:09 What's the physiological reason for diet being so closely linked with sleep?
04:49 What sorts of foods should we be eating then if we want to improve how we sleep?
05:50 Why will a diet high in fibre improve sleep?
08:19 Can diet impact our sleep stages, REM and deep sleep, for example?
11:09 Can tiredness influence what we eat?
12:34 What’s a good bedtime snack?
13:33 Can supplements help our sleep?
14:58 Have studies been done into specific foods affecting sleep?
19:19 What’s one thing someone could change tonight for a positive effect on their sleep?
Check out more episodes of The Food Chain here 👉🏽 youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4f4kxjsAfebFJku6zL3ZyEY
Presenter: Ruth Alexander
Producer: Izzy Greenfield
Video Journalist: Leona Gasper
Editor: Sara Wadeson
----------------
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#BBCWorldService #WorldService #sleep #nutrition #whattoeattoday
Many of us have our own theories about food, drink and sleep. Maybe it's avoiding coffee after lunch, drinking chamomile tea before bed, or having a warm glass of milk. But what does the science actually say?
Click here to subscribe to our channel 👉🏽 bbc.in/3VyyriM
In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander explores the relationship between food and sleep, asking whether changing what we eat and drink can help us get a better night's rest.
Professor Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia University, explains what decades of research have revealed about the links between diet and sleep quality. She discusses why poor sleep can change our food choices, how certain dietary patterns are associated with better sleep, and why scientists are increasingly interested in nutrients such as fibre and tryptophan.
Sleep physician Dr Allie Hare, President of the British Sleep Society, brings the perspective of the clinic. She explains the questions patients ask most often, from caffeine and alcohol to herbal remedies and sleep supplements, and discusses some of the biggest misconceptions people have about improving their sleep.
Together, they discuss whether there really are "sleep foods", what role meal timing might play, and how social media trends and expensive supplements can distract us from the basics.
00:00 Introduction
01:09 What does the evidence say about the link between eating and getting a good night's sleep?
01:41 Does what you eat influence how you sleep?
02:00 What are the most common questions people have about food and sleep?
04:09 What's the physiological reason for diet being so closely linked with sleep?
04:49 What sorts of foods should we be eating then if we want to improve how we sleep?
05:50 Why will a diet high in fibre improve sleep?
08:19 Can diet impact our sleep stages, REM and deep sleep, for example?
11:09 Can tiredness influence what we eat?
12:34 What’s a good bedtime snack?
13:33 Can supplements help our sleep?
14:58 Have studies been done into specific foods affecting sleep?
19:19 What’s one thing someone could change tonight for a positive effect on their sleep?
Check out more episodes of The Food Chain here 👉🏽 youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz_B0PFGIn4f4kxjsAfebFJku6zL3ZyEY
Presenter: Ruth Alexander
Producer: Izzy Greenfield
Video Journalist: Leona Gasper
Editor: Sara Wadeson
----------------
This is the official BBC World Service YouTube channel.
If you like what we do, you can also find us here:
Instagram 👉🏽 instagram.com/bbcworldservice
Twitter 👉🏽 twitter.com/bbcworldservice
Facebook 👉🏽 facebook.com/bbcworldservice
BBC World Service website 👉🏽 bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio
Thanks for watching and subscribing!
#BBCWorldService #WorldService #sleep #nutrition #whattoeattoday
