When you sleep you go through a catabolic phase, which means that your muscle is actually going through deterioration because it is being starved for hours. It is a big mistake for newbies who are trying to gain weight and build muscle to not eat before bed - and an even bigger mistake to not eat the right foods. Now I don't mean go out and eat a three course meal right before you sleep; the key to maintaining muscle during bedtime is to eat the right foods.
Casein protein is a slow-digestive protein that is exactly what you need to consume before you sleep. It is the perfect nutrient because when taken into your body, it takes hours to fully digest, giving your muscles nutrition the whole time while you are sleeping. It is crucial for anyone trying to build muscle to eat something that is high in casein protein before bed to ensure that his or her muscles will not starve.
Muscle Protein
Great pre-bed foods that are high in casein protein are actually not that hard to find or difficult to make at all. Cottage cheese, for example, has always been the staple pre-bed meal for bodybuilders and it is the highest source of natural casein protein you can find anywhere. Take a few spoonfuls of this before bed and you'll be solid! Another great product is milk, as it is 80% casein protein and 20% whey protein. Coupled with the fact that milk has been known to be almost like a natural sleep aid, many people choose to drink a glass of milk with their cottage cheese before they sleep for that extra casein and aid to sleep. You cannot go wrong eating these two before bed, as they are natural, healthy and protects your muscle for going into a catabolic stage.