Dragging yourself out of bed at 6 a.m. feels like being run over by a truck – yet again.

It’s another morning plagued by restless tossing and turning since 3 a.m. It’s not the caffeine, the looming meeting, or even the endless scroll through social media the previous night.

The actual issue at hand? Your diet. Surprisingly, even a nutritious diet that benefits your health in many ways might be quietly ruining your sleep.

You’re doing everything by the book – consuming whole grains, lean proteins, an abundance of colorful vegetables, and hardly a trace of sugar. Yet, despite these healthy choices, your sleep remains in shambles.

So, what’s truly happening? Experts shed light on the connection between diet and disturbed sleep – and, importantly, how to resolve it without risking weight gain.

Why 3am wake-ups matter

It’s not shocking that those waking up in the wee hours often experience increased fatigue, irritability, and mental fog throughout the day.

A large review of sleep research published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews found a strong link between fragmented sleep and poor metabolic health, including a higher risk of weight gain and insulin resistance.

Australian nutritionist Faye James (pictured) says waking up at 3am every morning is a common complaint from women at her practice – but some dietary fixes can prevent it 

One of the most common causes of waking in the early hours is a drop in blood sugar. Your brain needs consistent glucose through the night to stay in sleep mode. (Stock image)

Waking too early isn’t just an annoyance – it can wreak havoc on your hormones and long-term health. Stress and screen time before bed are obvious factors to consider, but as an accredited nutritionist, my interest is what you’re eating – and when.

Blood sugar swings are silent sleep killers 

One of the most common causes of waking in the early hours is a drop in blood sugar. Your brain needs consistent glucose through the night to stay in sleep mode.

If you end the day with a high-carbohydrate meal, especially one with refined carbs like white rice, bread or pasta, your body releases a lot of insulin to bring blood sugar down. Hours later, your blood sugar crashes. 

That 3am wake-up is often your body’s way of begging your brain for glucose.

Research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate high-GI (glycaemic index) meals at night nodded off faster – but woke up earlier and had more broken sleep than those who chose low-GI options.

Are you eating too late?

It’s not just what you eat but when you eat it.

If your last meal is too close to bedtime, your body is still busy digesting your food when it should be in rest and repair mode.

Late meals are linked to a delay in melatonin production, the hormone that regulates sleep. This was shown in a study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, which found that eating close to bedtime shifted melatonin production later into the night, causing delayed sleep and frequent awakenings.

Aim to finish eating at least three to four hours before bed.

If you are hungry before sleep, keep your snack simple, such as a small handful of nuts or a small serving of Greek yoghurt.

While protein is essential for a healthy diet, an overload too late in the evening can backfire and disrupt sleep (stock image)

Protein overload can backfire too

Protein is essential for health and for muscle maintenance. But too much protein late at night may stimulate your metabolism when it should be winding down.

High-protein meals late in the day can increase levels of amino acids that trigger alertness and raise core body temperature. Higher body temperature at night is strongly associated with waking up more often.

I often see women consuming chicken breast, tuna, steak or protein shakes in the late evening believing it will help with weight management. And while it is certainly preferable to eating too many carbs in the evening, it isn’t great for sleep.

Keep the protein levels high, but eat these meals earlier in the day if you want to avoid an unwelcome early wake-up. At dinner, aim for moderate amounts of protein combined with fibre and healthy fats to slow digestion and keep blood sugar steady.

Hidden stimulants and ‘health foods’

Even foods marketed as healthy can contain hidden stimulants.

Green tea has L-theanine, which can be calming, but it also contains caffeine. A cup in the evening can be enough to push some people out of deep sleep and into restlessness.

Similarly, some decaf coffees still contain small amounts of caffeine, which is enough to interfere with sleep patterns.

And even chocolate in desserts or treats at night can subtly affect sleep chemistry. A single square of quality 70 per cent chocolate might be a healthier alternative to a milk chocolate bar, but it could still impact your sleep.

Fibre and gut health are important

Your gut and your sleep are closely linked. Eating enough fibre feeds the good bacteria in your gut, which produce short-chain fatty acids that support calm brain chemistry and steady blood sugar.

A study in Nutrients found that people who consumed more dietary fibre in the evening had more slow-wave sleep – the deep sleep that leaves you feeling refreshed in the mornings.

By contrast, low-fibre diets were associated with lighter sleep and more frequent awakenings.

The solution is to add fibre throughout the day – vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. But in the evening, be careful not to overload your system with too much at once. Balance is key.

Stress eating and late-night grazing

By far the most common pattern I see in my practice is women who eat well all day, but then graze in the evening due to stress or even boredom.

A handful of crackers here, a bite of cheese there, nibbles in front of Netflix.

These snacks may seem health-neutral but they trigger insulin, affect blood sugar and sometimes disrupt sleep.

If you find yourself reaching for food at night, pause and ask yourself if it is real hunger or something else. Drinking water or herbal tea, taking a walk or reading for 10 minutes often breaks the craving cycle.

How to eat your way to better sleep

You might be wondering if eating less or skipping dinner will fix your sleep. It won’t. In fact, under-eating can raise cortisol – the stress hormone – which causes the same sleep problems.

Instead, here’s a simple strategy that works for most people:

1. Balance every meal.

Include a moderate amount of lean protein like white fish, healthy fats such as avocado, and fibre-rich carbohydrates such as quinoa. This slows glucose release and avoids spikes and crashes.

2. Time your meals wisely.

Finish dinner at least three to four hours before bedtime.

3. Keep evening snacks simple.

If you must eat before bed, choose something low-glycaemic like nuts, yoghurt or a small piece of fruit like a kiwi, which helps increase serotonin, a precursor to melatonin.

4. Avoid hidden caffeine and stimulants after 1pm.

This includes green teas and some decaf coffees.

5. Track your patterns.

Keep a simple food and sleep diary for two weeks. You may start to see if certain foods or meal timings correlate with nights when you wake up far too early. 

Real-life success

One of my clients, Emma, 44, suffered from 3am wake-ups for years.

She ate a grilled chicken and rice bowl most nights, an hour before bed. After we shifted her dinner earlier and balanced it with more vegetables and healthy fats, her sleep improved dramatically.

Within three weeks, she had stopped waking at 3am, and instead woke at a regular time feeling rested and refreshed.

Waking up at 3am every night is not just an annoyance – it could be a sign that your body’s chemistry is out of sync overnight.

Diet influences hormones, blood sugar and gut health. Getting it right does not mean eating less or dieting harder. It means eating smarter, timing meals right and balancing nutrients so that your body can sleep.

If you are exhausted, frustrated and at your wits’ end, start by looking at your plate. The solution may be simpler than you think.

Faye James is an accredited nutritionist and the author of Everyday Easy Vegan, The Perimenopause Plan, The Menopause Diet and The Long Life Plan. Her latest book High Protein 100+ is out in April 2026.