Research bears out what our grandparents said: Don’t eat too close to bedtime if you want to sleep well. Plus other recipes for a solid eight hours

A GOOD NIGHT’S sleep is the new kale,” chef David Bouley said recently. “Everyone wants it and it’s good for your health.” He was addressing participants in “The Chef and The Doctor,” a popular educational dinner series at his Manhattan restaurant Bouley at Home. During the event Dr. Youlan Tang , a physician in the BronxCare Health System and research scholar at Columbia University , explained the connection between what we eat and how we sleep. Diners listened keenly while enjoying a meal that highlighted sleep-friendly dishes, such as homemade walnut tofu with walnut dressing, sprouted brown rice with wild shiitake mushrooms, and kombu dashi with clams, lobster and miso.

For nearly a decade, Mr. Bouley has been hosting events in collaboration with medical doctors and nutritionists to explore how diet affects wellness. Past topics have included food and disease prevention and food and mental health. Dr. Tang’s presentation is the third dinner/seminar at Bouley about food and sleep. The big takeaways: Doctors say that sleep disruption stems from issues with anxiety or digestion. Epidemiological studies show diet affects both, and link sleep deprivation to a weakened immune system, weight gain, obesity and diabetes.

To understand how food affects sleep, you need to understand what happens to the body when it slumbers. Body functions slow while the brain remains active. Body temperature drops; pulse, breathing and blood pressure slow. Muscles relax. The brainstem and the hypothalamus produce gamma aminobutyric acid (aka GABA), an amino acid that calms the nervous system. The body produces and regulates hormones. The stress hormone cortisol, for example, dips, while ghrelin and leptin, which regulate hunger and satiety, balance out. Insulin levels spike, regulating blood sugar while melatonin and serotonin synchronize circadian rhythm, the sleep/wake cycle. Your diet can determine that these functions work normally for an undisturbed sleep.

If you enjoy a bowl of ice cream, it’s best to have it in the middle of the day to keep your blood sugar in check.

Recent research, such as a 2016 study supported by Columbia University and New York Obesity Research Center , reveals which foods can optimize sleep. In his recently published book, “Boundless,” nutritionist Ben Greenfield devotes a chapter to sleep and diet, with a list of “sleep-enhancing” foods. (See “Zzzlicious,” below.)

As important as what you eat: when you eat, said Dr. Charles Czeisler , chief, Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders, Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School . Dr. Czeisler has twice presented at Mr. Bouley’s “The Chef and The Doctor” series. Dr. Czeisler’s research in conjunction with his colleague Dr. Frank Scheer has found that eating while following an abnormal sleep/wake cycle (sleeping during the day and working at night, for example) leads to “50% increased risk of transitioning to diabetes as a result of disrupted sleep rhythms and diet shifts.” Dr. Czeisler cited a 2016 study by the University of Chicago , which concluded that eating too late causes the body to “work” the digestive system while it should be resting, causing body temperature to rise and blood sugar to drop too low, shifts that will ultimately disturb sleep.

Dr. Czeisler has also been looking closely at studies done by the Salk Institute regarding “time-restricted eating”—compressing the hours in which one eats—which Dr. Tang also endorses. “Restricted eating recognizes the importance of circadian rhythms,” Dr. Czeisler said. The study concludes that food intake for the day should occur within a 10-hour window, with the first meal of the day taken an hour or more after habitual wake time and the last meal of the day finished three to four hours from bedtime.

So, what does the ultimate sleep-friendly diet look like? Dr. Tang recommends a large breakfast one to two hours after waking, a nutrient-dense lunch and a light dinner, all during compressed eating hours. Dr. Czeisler advises to never go to bed hungry. “If we don’t have enough food, our brains go into starvation mode. You’ll wake up in the middle of the night craving food,” he said. Dr. Czeisler added that if you enjoy a bowl of ice cream, it’s best to have it in the middle of the day to keep your blood sugar in check. And he warned about two major sleep-wreckers: caffeine and alcohol.

“Caffeine has a six- to nine-hour half-life that can delay circadian rhythms and increase next-day sleepiness,” Dr. Czeisler said. “Every glass of wine and every shot of liquor takes two hours for the liver to metabolize, and that disrupts your ability to maintain consolidated sleep. It may help relax you, but you’ll wake up in a couple of hours.” His solution: Perhaps enjoy that glass of wine at lunch instead of dinner. “I am not suggesting that everyone become a day-drinker,” he said. “But it will metabolize by bedtime if you indulge midday.”

Mr. Greenfield, Dr. Czeisler and Dr. Tang recognize that nobody’s perfect and recommend some sleep-aid hacks that can help after indulging in a feast too close to bedtime. Mr. Greenfield recommends a postprandial stroll or taking a cold or lukewarm shower before bed to help cool the body. They all agree, if you slip, don’t lose sleep over it. Every day presents an opportunity to reset slumber-friendly eating habits.

Zzzlicious: Sleep-friendly fare

In “Boundless,” Ben Greenfield recommends these foods that are easily digestible and can help calm the brain, lower body temperature and maintain a low glucose metabolism when you turn in.

Fish rich in Omega-3, vitamin B and D: Salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring

Serotonin foods: Kiwi

Melatonin foods: Tart cherries, oatmeal, walnuts

Tryptophan-rich foods: Turkey, tofu, miso, bananas, chicken, eggs, almonds and milk

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT): Coconut oil

Fructose foods: Gelatin and raw honey

Magnesium- and zinc-rich foods: Oysters, clams, lobster, walnuts and dark leafy greens

GABA foods: Sprouted brown rice, white rice, miso, kimchi; chamomile, passionflower and lemon balm teas; reishi and wild shiitake mushrooms

Golden Milk Elixir

This delicious drink aids digestion, relaxes an amped-up nervous system and helps you get into the mood for a night of restful sleep. The recipe only yields about ⅓ cup, but that’s all you’ll need for a nighttime nip.

Total Time: 12 minutes

serves: 1

Ingredients

• ½ cup full fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder or 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder or 2 tablespoons grated fresh turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 whole peppercorns, crushed
• 2-3 drops organic liquid stevia, or 1 teaspoon raw honey or molasses
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• Pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except coconut oil and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low.
2. Simmer until slightly thickened, 5 minutes, then remove pan from heat. Let cool 5 minutes.
3. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a glass.
4. Add coconut oil. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon, if using. Serve warm.

—Adapted from “Boundless” by Ben Greenfield

Happy Sleep GABA Rice

Choose your favorite soothing tea for this recipe, enhanced with sweet and tart cherries and crunchy nuts. Mr. Bouley recommends this calming rice as a complement to wild salmon, halibut, turkey, shrimp or lobster. This recipe is rich in B6, which helps support melatonin and tryptophan, essential for a good night’s sleep. GABA brown rice can be purchased at online shops such as mercato.com. Sub in any herbal tea in your pantry if necessary and any small, dried dark berry can stand-in for the tart cherries or prunes.

Total Time: 2 hours (includes soaking)

serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups Quick Cooking GABA Rice (100% pure whole grain sprouted brown rice)
• Lemon balm, chamomile, red clover, nettle or passionflower tea
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons diced dried tart cherries or diced prunes

Directions

1. Boil water and make 4 cups of tea. Follow the package instructions to make the GABA rice, substituting tea for water in soaking and cooking.
2. Once rice is cooked, heat olive oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Stir in walnuts, sliced almonds and dried tart cherries, and cook until heated through, 2-3 minutes.
3. Remove nut-cherry mixture from heat and stir into rice. Serve.

—Adapted from David Bouley

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