In Eat Better, Sleep Better: 75 Recipes and a 28-Day Meal Plan That Unlock the Sleep-Food Connection, authors Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, and Kat Craddock provide useful information to help readers get a better night’s sleep by fine-tuning what they eat. The book also includes recipes that incorporate foods that are conducive to good sleep quality.
St-Onge is described in the book’s Foreword as a well-known international leader in the study of diet and sleep. Craddock, who developed the recipes, is a former chef and renowned recipe developer and food writer.
The book’s opening chapters provide theoretical background regarding the food-sleep connection and why it matters. St-Onge notes that “Without good sleep, our bodies—especially our brains—stay tired and can’t recuperate.” This impacts our immune system and can lead to weight gain as we reach for comfort foods. Poor sleep quality can also result in stress, anxiety, and poor decision making.
St-Onge uses the results of studies to back up her comments about the food-sleep link. While readers can skip right to the recipes, St-Onge suggests they start with the chapters on the importance of the food-sleep connection, arguing that readers will be “more invested in [the suggested] approach to eating if you understand the why-it-works before you dive into the how-to-do-it.”
“Eat Better, Sleep Better reviews the importance of serotonin, melatonin, and tryptophan in helping us get a good night’s sleep.
Eat Better, Sleep Better reviews the importance of serotonin, melatonin, and tryptophan in helping us get a good night’s sleep. The early chapters explore other factors, such as jet lag, insomnia, the timing of caffeine consumption, and the importance of the supporting a strong circadian rhythm. Even before I’d finished reading the book, I was able to apply some of the advice to get a better night’s sleep.
Chapter 3, “Food for Sleep,” includes separate lists of foods rich in tryptophan, serotonin, melatonin, and other sleep-supporting nutrients. There is also a helpful “Top 20 Powerhouse Ingredients” list.
The recipe section includes a 28-day meal plan that incorporates breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with page numbers provided for each of the recipes suggested. But it’s not essential to follow the meal plan. Readers can also opt to pick and choose among the recipes to set up their own menu for any given day. As the authors note early in the book, the goal is to provide helpful advice that’s easy to follow.
Recipes are laid out clearly, and include an ingredients list, an opening paragraph, and detailed step-by-step instructions. The recipes are broken into sections, including Salads and Soups, Low-Stress Evening Meals, and Sweets for Sleep, among others. Our household has already picked out a few promising recipes we’d like to try, including Beet Hummus, Warm Pita Salad, Creamy Lemon-Turkey Soup, and Lemony Baked Trout. There is also a detailed index at the back of the book, making it easy to look up specific recipes or topics.
The hardcover edition of Eat Better, Sleep Better makes for a handsome book, printed on glossy paper and chock-full of photos. There’s substance here for the money, and the book’s attractiveness might also make it a good gift option.
For anyone seeking to improve their sleep quality, interested in exploring the link between food and sleep, or simply looking for a new cookbook to add to their shelves, Eat Better, Sleep Better is worth a look.
About the Authors
Dr. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, is a nutritionist and a pioneer in the field of sleep health. The founding director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep and Circadian Research at Columbia University, her cutting-edge research combines her unique expertise on sleep, nutrition, and weight management to address overall health related to sleep. Dr. St-Onge is the recipient of an Outstanding Investigator Award from the NHLBI (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) at the NIH, and she is a Fulbright Scholar as well as a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine. She has authored close to 170 peer-reviewed publications and received scientific achievement awards from the American Heart Association and American Society for Clinical Nutrition. Born and educated in Canada, Dr. St-Onge lives with her family in New Jersey.
Kat Craddock is CEO, editor-in-chief, and owner of Saveur. Previously, she was a bread baker, pastry chef, and cheese monger in New York City, Boston, and Chicago. She has been featured in Eater, Serious Eats, Taste, and other publications.
Book Details
Publisher : S&S/Simon Element (Jan. 21 2025)
Language : English
Hardcover : 288 pages
ISBN-10 : 1982198443
ISBN-13 : 978-1982198442