Packed with protein, fiber, and other nutrients, almonds are a great addition to your diet any time of day. But could they also help you get a better night’s sleep?
Almonds contain both magnesium and melatonin—micronutrients that “help your body relax and drift off more easily,” Karman Meyer, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian nutritionist, author, and co-founder of the NourishWell Network, told Health.
That means “a small handful of almonds before bed may give your sleep a gentle boost,” she explained.
However, the actual science behind almonds and better sleep is a bit more complicated—here’s what to know.
Based on their nutritional makeup, it’s possible that almonds could help with better sleep.
The Micronutrients
Almonds are rich in magnesium, Robin Tucker, PhD, associate professor of food science and human nutrition at Michigan State University, told Health. This mineral may help calm the nervous system and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, making it easier to fall asleep.
Magnesium is also involved in the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your circadian rhythm and tells your body it’s time for sleep.
Melatonin is also found in almonds themselves—they’re considered a good dietary source of this sleep-promoting hormone, particularly when they’re consumed raw.
Additionally, almonds contain zinc and tryptophan—both of these are indirectly involved in the production of melatonin, too.
“This combination is [thought] to provide the right nutrients that can support sleep,” Julie Stefanski, MEd, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Health.
The Macronutrients
One serving of almonds (about 30 grams) contains:
- 6.4 grams (g) of protein
- 3.2 g of fiber
- 12.75 g of unsaturated fats
This mix of protein, fiber, and healthy fats might actually help you stay asleep—the three can help keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the night, which can lower the chances of sudden awakenings and sleep disruptions, Meyer explained.
These three macronutrients also make you feel more full, so they may be a better choice for a late-night snack as opposed to something higher in sugar, Stefanski said.
Based on their nutritional makeup alone, almonds seem like the perfect dietary hack to get better shut-eye. However, research on the subject is fairly sparse.
In 2019, Iranian researchers had 446 college students eat 10 almonds daily for two weeks. At the start of the study, 78% of the students reported having insomnia. After adding almonds to their diet, that number dropped to 69%.
Another study, published in 2024, followed 64 adults and split them into two groups—one ate 60 grams of almonds daily for 20 weeks, and the other ate a control snack. In the end, those who ate almonds reported getting better sleep and were also less likely to wake up in the middle of the night.
Though these findings are promising, the studies are very small, Stefanski noted. Plus, it’s not clear “whether smaller amounts of almonds have the same benefits” for sleep, she said.
The quality of the participants’ sleep to begin with could also influence the findings and make them less applicable to the real world, said Tucker.
At this point, she explained, there just hasn’t been enough research to say with certainty that almonds will help you sleep better.
“It’s plausible that almonds could aid in improving sleep outcomes, but the evidence we have currently doesn’t yet support this,” Tucker said.
If you want to eat a handful of almonds before you go to bed, it may or may not help your sleep.
But it may be worth trying if you get peckish at night—sleep-promoting nutrients aside, it’s tough to fall asleep when you’re hungry, so a light, healthy snack such as almonds can be a good choice, Tucker said.
You can also try combining almonds with other foods that could help you sleep. Meyer suggested eating an ounce of almonds and dried tart cherries, which are rich in melatonin.
Just be careful if you have issues with acid reflux, Stefanski cautioned. High-fat foods like almonds require the stomach to produce more acid to break them down, she said, which could bug you as you’re trying to sleep.
It’s not just what you eat right before bed that impacts your sleep, however. Eating well throughout the day can set you up for success.
“Higher quality diets are associated with better sleep outcomes,” Tucker said. So focus on eating enough nuts (walnuts may also support sleep), legumes, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and dairy, and whole grains to improve sleep outcomes.
On the other hand, in the hours before you go to sleep, it may be best to avoid:
- Stimulants such as caffeine
- Alcohol
- Fatty, sugary, or salty foods
- Spicy foods
