No single food guarantees better sleep, but a few may help a little. Kiwi and tart cherry juice have the most direct research behind them, though the studies are small. Nuts, bananas, oats and warm drinks are popular, low-risk bedtime choices. Cutting back on caffeine, alcohol and heavy late meals often matters just as much. Below you'll find what to eat, when to eat it, what to avoid, and when food isn't the real problem. How Food and Sleep Are Connected Certain foods contain nutrients linked to the body's sleep systems, such as melatonin, tryptophan and magnesium. Others, like caffeine, alcohol and large late meals, can make sleep lighter or more broken. The link between overall eating patterns and sleep is an active research area. For many individual foods, though, the evidence is limited or based mainly on nutrient content rather than sleep trials.Think of food as one helpful lever alongside your routine, not a cure. The upside is that most of these foods are inexp...