Avoid Eating These Foods If You Want To Sleep Better At Night
There are some foods we consume in the evening that prevents us from sleeping well at night. These foods seem to haunt us in our sleeps. It makes us stay awake at night, making us tired in the morning.
They include;
1. Caffeine-containing foods and beverages
Caffeine-containing foods keep you alert and aid to activate your central nervous system. Caffeine’s physiological effects can keep you awake at night and interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Avoid foods that contain caffeine, such as soda, caffeinated tea, caffeinated chocolate, energy drinks, and other products.
2. Spicy foods
Eating spicy food may result in you having a restless night because it might aggravate indigestion and heartburn symptoms, if you already have them. Before going to bed, it’s important to stay away from hot foods that contain chili pepper.
3. High-glycemic-index foods
According to Healthline, high glycemic index foods might raise your blood sugar levels. Research suggests that foods with a high glycemic index may contribute to insomnia and other sleep-related issues. Bread, sweets, white rice, and potatoes are examples of foods with a high glycemic index.
4. Fatty foods
A study found that eating foods high in fat, particularly saturated fat, may have a negative impact on your ability to sleep. This can occur because a fatty meal could overwhelm your digestive system and prevent you from falling asleep at night. Foods heavy in fat may also exacerbate acid reflux symptoms, which may keep you up all night.
5. Chocolate
High levels of caffeine in chocolate make it a poor choice for late-night snacking. During the latter stages of sleep, caffeine consumption can cause rapid eye movement (REM) to occur more frequently, which is why you’re more likely to feel groggy the morning after the night before.
Other foods and drinks containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and energy drinks should also be avoided four to six hours before sleep.
6. Cheese
While cheese is generally considered a comfort food, it is actually one of the worst foods to eat before bed.
Strong or aged cheese, as well as preserved meats such as bacon, ham and pepperoni, contains naturally high levels of the amino acid, tyramine, which make us feel alert. Tyramine causes the adrenal gland to release the ‘fight or flight’ hormone, which increases alertness for a number of hours.
7. Curry
Spicy food, such as curries, hot sauce and mustard, contain high levels of capsaicin. This chemical elevates body temperature by interfering with the body’s thermoregulation process, which, in turn, disrupts sleep. Add this to the high levels of energy required to digest the spices, and you can kiss goodbye to a deep sleep.
Spicy foods are just one of a number of foods which are known for having a negative effect on sleep. Other foods, especially those which are high in fat and carbohydrates, should be.
8. Ice cream
We all know that consuming too much sugar can have a negative impact on our health, but did you know it can also affect our sleep?
Sugary foods, such as ice-cream and sweets, send blood sugar levels spiking at first, which then crash whilst you are asleep. A crash in blood sugar alerts the adrenals that there is an emergency, which, in turn, increases cortisol levels, and wakes the body from slumber.
9. Crisps
Too much salt dehydrates the body and increases water retention, causing tiredness and fatigue. A study at the European Society of Endocrinology found that salty foods, such as crisps and salted nuts, were some of the worst foods to eat before bed as they contributed to disrupted or “superficial” sleep. Experts recommend staying away from salty foods at least two to three hours before bed if you need a good sleep.
