Did you know that food might be to blame for your sleepless and restless nights? In fact, many foods can make you unable to fall asleep or cause frequent awakenings. Therefore, if you think food is keeping you awake at night, it’s time you look at your list of favorite snacks. Here’s a brief list of which foods you should avoid eating late in the day if you want to get a good night’s sleep:
- Sweets
Having a chocolate cake dessert after dinner sounds tempting, for sure. However, consuming foods high in sugar can result in a blood sugar spike which interferes with sleep. Namely, after consuming high amounts of sugar, the body releases insulin to allow the glucose to enter the cells and be used for energy. But, energy is the last thing you need before bedtime.
Furthermore, high sugar intake, together with low fiber and high saturated fat, has also been closely connected to less restorative sleep and frequent awakenings. Plus, high sugar intake also contributes to inflammation which is then linked to insomnia, poor sleep, and sleeping difficulty.
- Caffeine
Caffeine is yet another ingredient you should avoid later in the evening as its effects can last from four to six hours. It is commonly found not only in coffee but also in foods and beverages like chocolate, green tea, energy drinks, and soda. The truth is, that caffeine is a very strong stimulant that encourages alertness, thus keeping us awake at night if consumed close to bedtime. Hence, if you want to catch some solid shuteye at night, avoid caffeinated foods and beverages for at least six hours before going to bed.
- Alcohol
Next on our list of foods that should be avoided close to bedtime is, believe it or not, alcohol. In general, people mistakenly believe that alcohol will indeed help them feel drowsier and help them fall asleep easily. However, in reality, alcohol works as a sedative only for a short time and then contributes to poor sleep and frequent awakenings throughout the entire night. That said, although alcohol consumption can help you fall asleep initially, it will certainly result in poorer sleep quality throughout the night.
- Fast Food
Fast food might sound like the perfect option when you don’t have time to cook dinner or have a busy day at work and feel tired in the evening. But, going through a drive-thru and grabbing dinner on the go such as pizza, French fries, chicken nuggets, etc. may result in a sleepless night. Why? Because foods high in carbs and fat take longer to digest meaning that your body will still be digesting your food from dinner when bedtime comes, thus interfering with your sleep quality.
- Spicy Foods
Last but not least, spicing things up and adding some flavor to your dinner might taste delicious but unfortunately can also lead to restless sleep. Namely, spicy foods can cause discomfort or irritation in your gastrointestinal tract making you unable to fall asleep and causing frequent nighttime awakenings. According to experts, you should avoid such foods within three hours of bedtime, as well as acidic foods that can cause heartburn or indigestion.
Final Thoughts
All in all, if you’ve been experiencing some sleep issues lately, you’d better have a closer look at your diet and avoid the above-listed foods. As a bonus, here are some additional general food rules for a good night’s sleep:
- Have an early dinner
- Choose your pre-bedtime snacks wisely
- Follow a well-balanced diet