4 Easy Bedtime Snacks That Can Actually Help You Sleep Better, Expert-Approved 

However, not all snacks are created equal. Of course, there are those that can rile you up and keep you from reaching high-quality sleep (i.e., sugary sweets and junk foods), while others contain just the nutrients you need for a deeper snooze. This list collects the latter: below, a handful of expert-approved sleepy-time snacks for any late-night craving: 

You don't necessarily need to have a juicer on hand. "Buy tart cherries and have it as a snack," Uma Naidoo, M.D., board-certified psychiatrist, professional chef, and author of This Is Your Brain on Food, says on the mindbodygreen podcast: "[It's my] go-to food." 

"What I like to tell people to do is take a couple of slices of avocado and put it on a rice cake," Breus notes. "That's a perfect snack." Or, if you have more of a sweet tooth craving, you can swap the avo for a spoonful of almond butter instead for those healthy fats. 

Registered dietitian Jessica Cording, M.S., R.D., CDN, likes to whip up a batch of crispy, whole roasted chickpeas to snack on before bed. For a couple of reasons: First, chickpeas fall under the complex carbs umbrella, which, again, can stimulate serotonin. But chickpeas also contain high levels of magnesium, which has been shown to support restorative, deep sleep3, specifically by maintaining healthy levels of GABA—a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and a good night's rest. And finally, chickpeas are naturally chock-full of tryptophan4, the amino acid that's a precursor to serotonin. Typically Thanksgiving turkey receives all the tryptophan fanfare, but consider chickpeas a rich plant-based source. 

A candidate for breakfast-for-dinner, Naidoo recommends you "Have an omelet at night." That's because eggs contain a significant amount of melatonin (which can help you fall asleep faster5 and longer), as well as L-ornithine, an amino acid that has been shown to help improve sleep quality6. Feel free to throw some veggies into the scramble as well—according to Naidoo, asparagus and broccoli are also rich in melatonin. (See here for how to craft the perfect bedtime omelet.)

If you're experiencing hunger pangs before bed, don't ignore them! As experts will tell you, it's best to listen to those cues (assuming you're not attempting a fast) so the blood sugar kick won't wake you up in the middle of the night. A quick, no-fuss bedtime snack is key, and some can even enhance the quality of your sleep.