Nutrition strategies to promote sleep in elite athletes 😴 This new review summarised evidence from 12 studies on elite athletes to establish potential strategies to support sleep 📚 Here are the key strategies ⬇️ KIWIFRUIT 🥝 2 kiwifruit (~1 h pre-bed) improved: ⏰ Sleep duration 💤 Sleep efficiency 😴 Fewer awakenings 🌙 Reduced WASO ⚡️ Better morning energy 🟢 High potential efficacy TART CHERRY JUICE 🍒 30 mL × 5 servings over 48 h (morning + evening): 🛏️ Improved time in bed 🌜 Reduced WASO and movement during sleep 🟢 High potential efficacy MILK & DAIRY 🥛 5 - 7 days per week milk intake linked to: 💃 Better sleep quality in female athletes 🧘‍♀️ Lower risk of poor sleep 🟢 High potential efficacy PROTEIN & TRYPTOPHAN 🍗 Higher evening protein (~1 h pre-sleep) associated with: ⏳ Shorter sleep onset latency 🥚 Better sleep for ~1.6 g/kg protein & ~1350 mg tryptophan 🍽️ Little benefit when protein > 2.5 g/kg 🟠 Moderate potential efficacy α-LACTALBUMIN 🧬 Tryptophan-rich milk protein (~2 h pre-bed) may improve: 💤 Sleep onset latency ⏰ No significant effects on duration 🟠 Moderate potential efficacy PROBIOTICS 🦠 17-week daily multispecies blend associated with: 🦵 Reduced muscle soreness & leg heaviness 🩸 Lower CRP → better sleep quality 🟠 Moderate potential efficacy ZINC, IRON & B12 💊 Adequate intakes linked to: 😴 Improved sleep quality 🏃‍♀️ Particularly beneficial for female athletes 🟠 Moderate potential efficacy MEAL TIMING ⏰ Each extra hour between dinner and bedtime may cause: 🕒 Reduced total sleep time 🌙 Lower sleep efficiency 🟠 Moderate potential efficacy TOTAL CALORIE INTAKE 🔥 Insufficient energy intake is associated with: 💤 Poorer sleep quality ⚡️ Meeting energy needs supports TST 🟠 Moderate potential efficacy PRE-BED CARBOHYDRATE 🍞 High carbohydrate or sugar meals before bed may: ⚠️ Increase WASO and reduce sleep efficiency 🤔 Effects inconsistent across studies 🔴 Uncertain potential (conflicting evidence) Reference: mdpi.com/2075-4663/13/10/342 Subscribe to Performance Nutrition Digest FREE to receive your daily study breakdown, straight to your inbox or via the Substack app 📥 performancenutritiondigest.c… Performance Nutrition Digest is powered by Healthspan Elite⚡️ healthspanelite.co.uk/