An evening carb (instead of going to bed hungry)

In general/healthy populations, carbohydrate QUALITY (glycemic load) significantly explained variance in sleep onset latency, but carbohydrate QUANTITY mattered most for architecture — and notably LOWER carbohydrate intake moderately INCREASED slow-wave (deep N3) sleep while higher carb prolonged REM. Mixed picture, not a clean pro-carb result; the simple 'carbs help you sleep' story is not supported uniformly.

Randomized crossover in 12 healthy men: a high-GI rice meal eaten 4h before bed shortened sleep onset latency (~9 min) vs a low-GI meal (~17.5 min) and vs the same high-GI meal eaten 1h before bed. Supports that an evening carbohydrate (quality + timing) can ease sleep onset — but tiny n, healthy young men, tests GI/timing not 'small carb vs going to bed hungry'.

Critical mechanistic review: the carbohydrate -> brain tryptophan -> serotonin -> melatonin pathway only meaningfully raises brain tryptophan at unrealistically LOW protein intakes, so it is largely not relevant to a normal mixed diet; melatonin also requires darkness regardless of tryptophan. Directly undercuts the method's stated 'carbs raise serotonin which becomes melatonin' rationale.

Randomized, double-blind, counterbalanced polysomnographic study: high-GI evening (post-exercise) meal produced greater total sleep time, higher sleep efficiency and markedly shorter sleep onset latency vs low-GI. Consistent secondary support for evening carbohydrate easing onset, though in athletes post-exercise, not ADHD/autism.