By Cecile Adkins EdD, RDN, LDN
Registered and Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist
So Tired, Can’t Think Clearly
Dealing with the occasional lack of sleep affects most of us at some point in life. Intermittent sleepless nights or middle-of-the-night wakefulness without the ability to return to sleep quickly impact upwards of 20% of U.S. adults. Those who struggle with regular insomnia account for at least 10% of the population, sometimes dealing with it for years (Morin et al., 2022). If you’ve been struggling to get the right amount of sleep at least three nights a week for more than three months, you have chronic insomnia (NHLBI, 2022).
Insomnia is not fun. It can wreak havoc on our mood, attention, mental health, cognitive function, and disrupt multiple body systems. The cognitive effects of both short-term and chronic insomnia can manifest as the inability to think clearly or act normally, sleepiness throughout the day, impaired performance, forgetfulness, or the inability to make good decisions (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). These effects are compounded when we don’t get the sleep needed over consecutive nights.
Insufficient sleep is considered a global public health issue, especially when people experience chronic insomnia. The health effects of long-term insomnia are well documented, and there is much scientific research that seeks to understand the links between lifestyle and sleep: what impacts our ability to sleep, and what things our ability to sleep impacts.
Recognize the Effects of Insomnia on Diet
When we are tired, our cognitive function is impaired, and this can directly impact our food choices and the overall quality of our diet. Some of the body systems impacted by insomnia are directly linked to food choices. These include an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and developing type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, less physical movement, and weight gain or obesity (Chaput et al., 2016; Chattu et al., 2019; Grandner, 2022; Zuraikat et al., 2020).
The bottom line is that when we are sleep-deprived, our bodies specifically crave more calorie-dense, less nutritious food. We tend to snack more and eat overall larger quantities, choosing comfort foods that are higher in fat and sugar (Pattnaik et al., 2022).
We can’t always get back to sleep in the middle of the night or prevent when insomnia will hit. However, anticipating insomnia if you’ve experienced it before, regardless of whether it is occasional, habitual, or chronic, can help put you in control. Even if you’ve tried other strategies to fall back asleep or given up and started your day extra early, giving some thought to your diet can help you manage the day ahead and build resilience.
Build Dietary Resilience to Insomnia
Even the best dietary practices can be derailed by insomnia. To avoid potential diet disasters, plan to keep a supply of healthier, quick-grab food options on hand to satisfy your cravings for those higher-fat and sugary comfort foods. Small portions of calorie-dense snacks can also be satisfying.
Keep on hand
- favorite dips, primarily a low-fat variety or those that offer protein (i.e., hummus)
- individual ice cream, frozen yogurt, or pudding cups
- individual bags of popcorn, low-fat potato chips, or pretzels
- single serve cups of Nutella and peanut butter
- low-fat string cheese
- fresh, frozen, or canned fruit portioned out
- a small amount of mini candy bars, stored in the freezer
Prep ahead
- veggies and fruit
- nuts and seeds in 1/8 c servings
- portion out your favorite high-fat and/or high-sugar snack foods (e.g., two cookies per portion)
Be mindful of middle-of-the-night snacking. This can be super tempting and an easy habit to fall into, but it is not a great idea if you’re trying to get back to sleep as it is more likely to add calories that you don’t need and put your body back in wake mode.
Remember to choose water to drink over sodas or other sugary drinks. The calories you save here will add up, and you will stay well hydrated.
And finally, use caffeinated products wisely (Pacheco et al., 2024). Caffeine in too high a dose or ingested at the wrong time of the day can create more sleep issues.
References
Chaput, J. P., & Dutil, C. (2016). Lack of sleep as a contributor to obesity in adolescents: impacts on eating and activity behaviors. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 13, 1-9.
Chattu, V. K., Manzar, M. D., Kumary, S., Burman, D., Spence, D. W., & Pandi-Perumal, S. R. (2018). The Global Problem of Insufficient Sleep and Its Serious Public Health Implications. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 7(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare7010001
Cleveland Clinic. (2025). Insonmia. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12119-insomnia
Grandner, M. A. (2022). Sleep, health, and society. Sleep medicine clinics, 17(2), 117-139.
Morin, C. M., & Jarrin, D. C. (2022). Epidemiology of Insomnia: Prevalence, Course, Risk Factors, and Public Health Burden. Sleep medicine clinics, 17(2), 173–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2022.03.003
National Heart Blood and Lung Institute (NHLBI). (2022). What is insomnia? Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/insomnia#:~:text=Insomnia%20is%20a%20common%20sleep,explained%20by%20another%20health%20problem.
Pacheco, D., & Cotliar, D. (2024). Caffeine and Sleep. Sleep Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/caffeine-and-sleep#:~:text=When%20consumed%20in%20large%20amounts,restful%2C%20restorative%20night%20of%20sleep.
Pattnaik, H., Mir, M., Boike, S., Kashyap, R., Khan, S. A., & Surani, S. (2022). Nutritional elements in sleep. Cureus, 14(12).
Zuraikat, F. M., Makarem, N., Liao, M., St‐Onge, M. P., & Aggarwal, B. (2020). Measures of poor sleep quality are associated with higher energy intake and poor diet quality in a diverse sample of women from the go red for women strategically focused research network. Journal of the American Heart Association, 9(4), e014587.
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