Sleep Better to Perform Better: The Role of Nutrition

When athletes think about improving performance, the conversation usually centers around training, nutrition, and recovery. We look for the perfect interval session, the ideal fueling strategy, or the newest piece of equipment that might provide a competitive edge. But sleep is one of the most powerful performance enhancers costs nothing and is often overlooked or underprioritized.

Every workout creates stress on the body. The fitness gains we chase do not happen during the workout itself; they happen afterward, when the body repairs, rebuilds, and adapts. Sleep is where much of that work takes place, but the challenge is that most athletes simply are not getting enough of it. A recent review found that elite athletes require an average of 8.3 hours of sleep each night but typically get only 6.7 hours. Approximately 70% of athletes fail to meet their sleep needs, limiting recovery before the next training session even begins.

We know how important it is to improve sleeping environment and schedule surrounding it, but our nutrition choices throughout the day can also help support better sleep quality.

Layering Nutrition Practices to Improve Sleep

Nutrition is often discussed in terms of fueling workouts and accelerating recovery, but emerging research suggests it may also influence sleep quality. The important point is that there is no single "magic food" for better sleep. Instead, we need to think of nutrition as another layer of our recovery strategy. Small habits, practiced consistently, work together to create an environment that supports both sleep and adaptation.

Fuel Enough First

One of the biggest barriers to good sleep is chronic underfueling. Low energy availability has been associated with worse sleep quality, more nighttime wakings, and elevated stress hormones. If the body is consistently trying to make up for an energy deficit, restorative sleep declines. Before searching for specialty foods or supplements, we need to make sure we're eating enough to support our training.

Don't Fear Carbohydrate at Dinner

In addition to contributing to glycogen restoration, meeting carbohydrate needs throughout the day (including at dinner) may help increase the availability of tryptophan in the brain. Tryptophan contributes to the production of serotonin and melatonin, two compounds involved in regulating the sleep wake cycle. For endurance athletes, avoiding carbohydrate at dinner may unintentionally harm both recovery and sleep.

Protein Has a Ceiling

Protein remains essential for recovery and should generally be distributed evenly across the day. Athletes already consuming ~2.5 g/kg/day of protein do not appear to experience additional sleep benefits from consuming even more tryptophan rich protein. Once protein needs are met, adding more is unlikely to improve sleep quality, but if your daily intake is closer to the recommended ~1.6-2 g/kg/day and you're looking to improve sleep, it may help to add another protein dose to reach a total of ~2.5 /kg/day.

Food First Strategies

Several whole foods have been studied for their potential to support sleep. While these foods are promising, they work best as part of an overall healthy eating pattern rather than as isolated interventions.

For example, eating two kiwifruit about one hour before bed for four weeks improved sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and total sleep time. In some studies, athletes increased total sleep by nearly 50 minutes per night.

Tart cherry juice has also demonstrated improvements in several measures of sleep quality, while reducing time spent awake during the night. Most studies have used approximately 30 mL of tart cherry concentrate twice daily, though protocols vary.

Dairy naturally contains tryptophan, along with calcium and other nutrients involved in sleep regulation. Consuming dairy products five to seven times per week was associated with better sleep quality, though this has only been observed in females to date.

Key Takeaways

• Underfueling can negatively affect both sleep quality and recovery, making adequate daily energy intake the foundation of good sleep.

• Carbohydrate supports more than performance; meeting carbohydrate needs throughout the day may also promote healthier sleep.

• Consuming more than about 2.5 g/kg/day of protein is unlikely to provide additional sleep benefits.

• Two kiwifruit about an hour before bed may improve sleep quality and increase total sleep time.

• Tart cherry juice may improve sleep quality, while also supporting recovery from training.

• Regular dairy consumption may support better sleep quality in female athletes.

• No single food replaces healthy sleep habits. Nutrition works best when combined with consistent sleep routines and adequate time in bed.

Reference

Cheng HL, Lee IS, Close GL, et al. Nutrition Strategies to Promote Sleep in Elite Athletes: A Narrative Review. Sports Medicine. 2025.

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