Christmas markets may be the hub of festive cheer, but the culinary delights on offer could be the Grinch that steals your sleep. From paprika-laden bratwurst to sugary mince pies and mugs of mulled wine, these seasonal staples could wreak havoc on your sleep.
Dr Sophie Bostock explains why, and what you can do to avoid tossing and turning all night.
“Foods that are low in fibre and high in sugar, fat, and spices, may affect your ability to fall and stay asleep,” explains Dr Sophie Bostock, resident Sleep Expert at Bensons for Beds.
“Spicy foods can cause indigestion, while sugary treats spike your blood sugar, which could lead to restless sleep later. High-fat content, which is common in some Christmas market snacks, slows digestion, potentially triggering discomfort that can keep you awake. Experiments found that evening meals containing more fats and sugar are followed by lighter, disrupted sleep. Over time, this can become a vicious cycle. Sleep deprivation sends our brain into survival mode—we’re more likely to crave junk food when we’re tired, and we produce more grehlin (the ‘hungry’ hormone) and less leptin (the ‘full’ hormone). Meanwhile, a recent study found that ultra-processed foods are linked with an increased risk of insomnia.”
High in sat. fats | High in sugar | Spicy | Low in fibre |
Examples include:Mince piesEggnog Halloumi friesCamembertSausage rolls | Examples include:CrepesChurrosChocolate fondueChristmas puddingYule log | Examples include:BratwurstGingerbread | Examples include:Mac n’ cheese Yorkshire puddingCheese straw |
Foods high in saturated fat can slow down digestion and trigger gas and bloating. The discomfort of this can keep you awake. | Foods like these can spike your blood sugar, which can make settling down for sleep more difficult. | For some, spices can trigger heartburn and indigestion, leading to discomfort that can disrupt sleep. | Studies show that low-fibre foods are associated with less restorative, lighter sleep and waking up in the middle of the night. |
Alcohol—like Glühwein, Amaretto Fizz, Baileys hot chocolate and other classic Christmas tipples—can also be another major sleep disruptor.
“While it might make you feel drowsy at first, alcohol fragments your sleep cycles and can lead to snoring,” Dr Bostock adds. “That’s because it’s a sedative, and it relaxes the throat muscles which can make the airway more likely to collapse, and make snoring worse.”
This not only disrupts your sleep, but could also disturb your partner’s—and that can strain relationships. In fact, 3.75 million snorers in the UK regularly disturb their partners’ sleep, and for around 1 in 6 couples, snoring has even led to a breakup. But it’s not just intolerance to blame for this—regular sleep disturbances have a real impact on suffering partners’ health and wellbeing.

Dr Bostock explains: “Sleep performs crucial housekeeping tasks for both your body and your brain. It helps to store memories, get rid of toxins, process emotions, and repair damaged cells. When you don’t get enough, your brain dials up your sensitivity to threat and your fight or flight stress response goes into high alert, making you prone to feeling anxious, tense, and irritable. Couples who are sleep-deprived are more likely to argue.”
So what can you do to avoid tossing and turning? Dr Bostock suggests: “Going easy on alcohol should help your sleep quality, but if you are planning on drinking, try to stop at least a few hours before bedtime. Similarly with food—while small, healthy, and slow energy-release snacks like wholewheat crackers or hummus before bed can kerb hunger, eating large meals or overly sugary, fatty, and high-carb treats too close to bedtime can cause acid reflux and disturbed sleep. Most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night, and since 7:33 am is the average wakeup time in the UK, you should have better quality sleep if you stop eating before 8:00 pm.”
Not all Christmas delights are sleep-stealers, as Dr Bostock explains: “Foods that are richer in fibre and protein are associated with more time in deep sleep. We know that melatonin is important for sleep, and increasing the availability of its ‘building blocks’ (such as tryptophan and serotonin) and other co-factors in its production (such as vitamin B6, magnesium and zinc) may also be helpful for sleep, especially if you have a deficiency in any of these.”

Fruits like pineapples and cherries promote melatonin. Bananas are rich in magnesium and potassium, which help your muscles to relax and promote better sleep, while apples contain natural sugars and fibre to help stabilise blood sugar. Avocados are also rich in fibre and potassium.
An author behind a 2020 study published in the Journal of Nutrients said that bigger servings of legumes (such as chickpeas, broad beans and peanuts) had a “significant improvement in sleep efficiency.” Better still, turkey—a Christmas staple—is thought to contain tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes melatonin, while salmon and other fatty fish are rich in vitamin D and Omega-3.
“Consuming a higher proportion of protein in the diet could enhance sleep quality in healthy adults,” explains Dr Sophie Bostock. “This has biological plausibility because melatonin and serotonin, two sleep-promoting agents, are synthesised from the amino acid tryptophan.”

Bensons for Beds has collated Christmas recipes that are rich in ingredients like these, including:
- Why not try this yogurt bark recipe from BBC Food as a fruity, festive snack or dessert?
- The high tryptophan availability in ingredients like yogurt is thought to improve sleep.
- The high tryptophan availability in ingredients like yogurt is thought to improve sleep.
- This Christmassy baked salmon recipe from BBC Good Food is topped with cranberries and pistachios.
- Fatty fish like salmon are rich in vitamin D as well as Omega 3, which is associated with better, less-disturbed sleep.
- Fatty fish like salmon are rich in vitamin D as well as Omega 3, which is associated with better, less-disturbed sleep.
- The hero ingredient in this side dish recipe from Heidi’s Home Cooking is the humble chickpea (a type of legume), and the cherries mixed in give it a festive feel.
- Studies show that bigger servings of legumes significantly improve sleep efficiency, while cherries promote melatonin.
It’s important to remember that sleep quality isn’t tied to simply eating or drinking individual foods that promote sleep. A healthier gut microbiome overall can help to regulate our bodies’ natural sleep cycle.
To find out more, visit: https://www.bensonsforbeds.co.uk/sleep-hub/christmas-market-foods-playing-havoc-with-your-sleep/