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If you've been reading up on reversing prediabetes and diabetes, you may have heard the advice: "Sleep on time, sleep better—it improves insulin resistance." (If you haven't heard that yet, don't worry. We've included the science for you below.)

Yes, good quality sleep is important. But "sleep better" is easier said than done when you're wide awake at 2 AM, desperately trying to fall back asleep.

Here's a science-based strategy: you can eat your way to better sleep! You read that right—eating is your solution to sleeping. And the bonus? This eating strategy won't only help with better sleep, but also better blood sugar numbers, more energy throughout the day, and improved medical records!

BEST FINDS
Meals that manage blood sugar AND promote better sleep! These recipes feature magnesium, tryptophan, and complex carbs to support healthy glucose levels and restful nights. Dive into the omega-3 richness of Sheet Pan Baked Salmon with Vegetables—a one-pan wonder that's ready in 30 minutes. Need a quick meal? Try Low Carb Turkey Roll-Up featuring sleep-promoting turkey. Warm up with a cozy Lentil & Vegetable Stew loaded with magnesium-rich legumes, or whip up the vibrant Garlic-Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry for a flavor-packed dinner. Plant-based options shine too: Sesame Crusted Tofu Bowls deliver protein and healthy fats, while the hearty One-Pot Chicken, Quinoa, Mushrooms & Spinach combines sleep-supporting ingredients in one satisfying dish. Sweet dreams start with smart eating!

How Prediabetes and Poor Sleep Are Connected

If you're struggling with both prediabetes and poor sleep, you're not alone. Research shows that 62% of people with prediabetes experience poor sleep, compared to 46% of people with normal blood sugar. And here's the connection: poor sleep more than doubles your risk of developing prediabetes in the first place.

The relationship goes both ways. High blood sugar disrupts your sleep. Poor sleep drives blood sugar higher. It's a cycle that can feel impossible to break.

But here's the exciting part: today, we're spilling the beans on how to leverage molecular biology for better sleep. Did you know that molecules such as tryptophan, magnesium, and melatonin—which you can consume through food—can help you sleep better?

You don't need sleeping pills or expensive sleep coaches. You need to understand how what you eat (and when you eat it) works with your body's natural chemistry. Once you understand that, you can start eating your way to better sleep tonight.

Breaking the Blood Sugar <> Sleep Cycle

Here's what's happening: When you eat late at night, you're asking your body to digest food while it's trying to produce melatonin (your sleep hormone). These processes interfere with each other—digestion slows down and sleep quality suffers.

Late-night eating triggers blood sugar spikes followed by crashes. When blood sugar drops too low overnight, your body releases stress hormones (cortisol and adrenaline) to bring it back up. These stress hormones jolt you awake at 2 AM.

Here's where it gets worse: After poor sleep, your hunger hormones shift dramatically—you feel hungrier and specifically crave sweets and processed foods. Poor sleep lowers leptin (your "I'm full" hormone) and raises ghrelin (your "I'm hungry" hormone).

The cycle: Eat late or eat sugar → Blood sugar swings → Poor sleep → Hormone chaos → Crave junk food → Repeat (unless you break it). Here's how.

5 Science-Based Eating Strategies for Better Sleep

#1: Stop eating 2-3 hours before bed

Finish dinner by 7 or 7:30 PM if you sleep at 10 PM. This gives your digestive system time to complete its work before sleep mode begins and prevents interference with melatonin production.

If you're genuinely hungry later (not bored—actually hungry), have a tiny protein-based snack: five to six almonds or two tablespoons of Greek yogurt. Nothing after 8 PM.

#2: Create an eating window that works with your body clock

Eat all your food within an 8-10 hour window during the day. Examples: 8 AM to 6 PM, 7 AM to 5 PM, or 9 AM to 7 PM.

This gives your body crystal-clear signals about when to be awake and when to sleep, improving sleep quality, blood sugar regulation, and metabolism. Pick a window that fits your life and stick to it every day—yes, even weekends.

Read: Meal-Timing Magic for Prediabetes

#3: Cut off caffeine by 2 PM

Caffeine consumed even six hours before bedtime can steal over an hour of sleep. It blocks adenosine (the brain chemical that makes you sleepy) and stays in your system longer than you think.

If you sleep at 10 PM, your last caffeine should be by 2 or 3 PM. Watch for hidden caffeine sources: chocolate, green tea, sodas, energy drinks, and some pain medications.

#4: Build dinners that support sleep

Your body needs specific nutrients to make melatonin. Combining protein with healthy carbs helps your body absorb the amino acids needed to produce melatonin. Protein also keeps blood sugar stable overnight—aim for 25-40 grams at dinner (about a palm-sized portion).

Magnesium calms your nervous system and is required for melatonin production.

The sleep-better dinner plate:

• Half plate: non-starchy vegetables (especially leafy greens—loaded with magnesium)

• Quarter plate: protein (chicken, turkey, salmon, eggs, tofu, Greek yogurt)

• Quarter plate: slow-digesting carbs (lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, sweet potato, brown rice)

• Small amount of healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, a few nuts)

#5: Avoid blood sugar spikes after 7 PM

Big blood sugar spikes in the evening disrupt sleep and worsen insulin resistance. Research shows that eating refined carbs late is linked to worse sleep quality.

Save desserts, white bread, pasta, and sugary foods for earlier in the day—or skip them entirely. At dinner, pair any carbs with protein, fiber, or healthy fat to slow absorption.

Best Foods to Improve Sleep Quality Naturally

The protein + carb combo: When you eat protein-rich foods with healthy carbs, insulin helps tryptophan (the melatonin precursor) reach your brain more effectively. Turkey with sweet potato works better than turkey alone.

Best sleep-promoting proteins: Turkey and chicken, fatty fish (salmon, tuna), eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu or tempeh

Magnesium all-stars: Pumpkin seeds (one ounce provides 37% of daily needs), spinach and leafy greens, almonds and cashews, black beans and edamame, avocado
Read: Nutrient that tamed my glucose spikes

Smart carbs for evening: Lentils and chickpeas, quinoa, sweet potatoes, oats, brown rice (modest portions)

Simple dinner examples:

• Grilled salmon + sautéed spinach + quinoa

• Turkey breast + roasted Brussels sprouts + sweet potato

• Tofu stir-fry + bok choy and peppers + brown rice

Foods That Disrupt Sleep (What to Avoid)

Alcohol: While it makes you drowsy initially, alcohol dramatically reduces sleep quality, causes repeated wakening, and suppresses deep REM sleep. If you drink, finish at least 3-4 hours before bed.

Sugar and refined carbs after dinner: Sugary drinks are strongly linked to poor sleep quality. Evening desserts, candy, and sweetened beverages all disrupt overnight blood sugar. If you need something sweet, have it with lunch instead.

Read: Do you really have to avoid all carbs as a prediabetic?

Late or large dinners: Heavy meals cause reflux, bloating, and discomfort that wake you up. Keep dinner moderate-sized. Eating after 8 PM is particularly disruptive.

Hidden caffeine: Watch for chocolate, green tea, decaf coffee (still contains 2-15mg caffeine per cup), energy drinks, sodas, and certain medications.

How Better Eating Improves Both Sleep and Blood Sugar

You're not just fixing sleep—you're attacking prediabetes from multiple angles.

Direct benefits for blood sugar: Time-restricted eating improves insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. Avoiding late-night eating prevents glucose spikes during hours your body can't handle them well. Better meal timing aligns with your body's natural rhythm. Magnesium and protein support insulin function.

Benefits through better sleep: Sleep restores insulin sensitivity (up to 15-30% improvement), allows proper regulation of fatty acids (which cause insulin resistance when elevated), reduces inflammation, and lowers cortisol.

Benefits through hormones: Balanced hunger hormones mean less overeating, reversed hormone shifts, fewer cravings, better food control, and easier adherence to healthy portions.

Your Action Plan: Eat Your Way to Better Sleep

Sleep and blood sugar aren't separate problems. They're two sides of the same coin. The 62% of people with prediabetes who struggle with sleep are caught in a cycle. But you can break it.

Every dinner timed right is metabolic medicine. Every night of better sleep reverses insulin resistance.

This is leveraging molecular biology for better health. You're using tryptophan, magnesium, and melatonin—molecules your body needs—delivered through food at the right times. You're working with your body's natural chemistry, not fighting it.

Start tonight with one change:

• Finish dinner 3 hours before bed, OR

• Cut caffeine by 2 PM, OR

• Build one sleep-better dinner using the formula above

What's it gonna be today?

Better sleep isn't just a nice side effect of fixing prediabetes. It's the path to reversing it.

Have questions? We got answers. Email [email protected]