The Evolution of Sleep

A lack of sleep might leave us tired, but it can also have a major impact on what we eat, and our health.

Ruth Alexander explores the surprising relationship between diet and a poor night’s rest, and learns that it’s not just what we’re eating, but when: we hear about the perils of consuming calories late into the evening or, even worse, overnight.

But it’s not all bad news: there’s growing research into the idea that we might be able to improve our sleep quality by tweaking our diets.

If you would like to get in touch with the show please email thefoodchain@bbc.co.uk.

Producer: Simon Tulett

Contributors:

Tania Whalen, fire brigade despatcher, Melbourne, Australia; Matthew Walker, University of California, Berkeley, USA; Maxine Bonham, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia; Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, USA.

(Picture: A young girl asleep on a plate of spaghetti. Credit: Getty Images/BBC)