IF you have difficulty falling or staying asleep, limiting or avoiding certain foods and beverages, especially later in the day and before bedtime, may help.
Studies have linked caffeinated foods and beverages, added sugar, spicy foods, high-fat foods and alcohol to poor sleep quality and shorter sleep duration.
Also Read: How to Improve Your Sleep series: More sleep is needed in winter
5 foods and beverages that may keep you awake at night:
Caffeinated foods and beverages
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and may negatively affect sleep, especially if it is consumed within six hours of bedtime. It may give a temporary boost of energy but ultimately have a negative impact on sleep duration and quality.
This lack of sleep due to caffeine consumption may lead to drinking a lot of caffeine the next day to counteract feelings of tiredness which can negatively affect the next night’s sleep.
Spicy foods
Eating spicy foods close to bedtime may keep you awake for several reasons. These are known to cause indigestion and worsen symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux.
When you lie down to go to sleep, these spicy food-related symptoms can become worse as acid may travel into the oesophagus, causing irritation. This can keep you awake at night and lead to sleep disturbances.
Therefore, if you experience heartburn after eating spicy foods or you have acid reflux, you may want to steer clear of spicy foods before bed.
Some researchers have proposed that an increase in body temperature from eating spicy foods before bed may negatively affect sleep. Elevated body temperature is linked to sleep disturbances.
Fatty foods
Eating foods high in fat like fried chicken and fatty meats may contribute to poor sleep. Research shows that greater fat intake, especially saturated fat, may negatively affect sleep patterns.
Additionally, having a heavy, fatty meal later at night may affect your ability to fall asleep. This may be because the digestive tract slows when sleeping, so eating a fatty meal may overwhelm the digestive system, leading to discomfort that can keep you awake at night.
Furthermore, high-fat foods are known to exacerbate symptoms of acid reflux, which may keep you awake at night.
Fast food and other ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods like fast food and packaged snacks may not be the best choice for restful sleep.
Research consistently links diets high in ultra-processed foods to poor sleep quality and short sleep duration.
A 2018 study that included data on 118 462 adolescents, aged from 12 to 18, shows that shorter sleep duration and poor sleep quality were associated with higher intakes of fast food, instant noodles and sweets.
Diets high in ultra-processed foods can lead to weight gain. Studies show that people who are overweight may have more sleep issues than people without.
Being overweight may lead to obstructive sleep apnea, a health condition that can make it hard to breathe at night, resulting in sleep loss.
Alcoholic drinks
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used sleep aids as many people like to have a drink or two at night to relax and unwind before bedtime. Even though having a few drinks may initially make a person feel tired, studies show that drinking can cause sleep disturbances and keep you awake at night.
Although alcohol causes a person to fall asleep faster, it significantly disrupts sleep during the night as blood alcohol levels decline.
Because alcohol is strongly linked to insomnia, healthcare professionals usually recommend avoiding it before bed as part of insomnia treatment.
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