Sleep and nutrition have a bidirectional relationship — what you eat affects sleep quality, and poor sleep profoundly disrupts appetite regulation and metabolism.

How poor sleep affects nutrition:

• Increases ghrelin (hunger hormone) — more hungry
• Decreases leptin (satiety hormone) — less full
• Increases cravings for high-calorie, high-carb foods
• Impairs prefrontal cortex function — poorer food decision-making
• Studies show sleep-deprived people consume ~300–400 extra calories/day

Foods that support sleep:

• Tryptophan-rich foods (turkey, dairy, nuts) — tryptophan converts to serotonin → melatonin
• Magnesium — promotes muscle relaxation and sleep
• Cherries — one of few natural sources of melatonin

Foods that disrupt sleep:

• Caffeine — half-life 5–7 hours. Cut off at 2pm for most people.
• Alcohol — suppresses REM sleep
• Large meals within 2–3 hours of bed

Reference:

Wikipedia: Sleep and metabolism

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_and_metabolism