It appears that many people are having difficulty getting adequate sleep these days.
Even if you do not have a sleep condition, avoiding additional obstacles to a quiet night is critical.
Good sleep hygiene entails maintaining a nutritious diet and choosing appropriate dinner and late-night snack choices.
Read Also:5 Popular Foods You Should Avoid In Breakfast
So, what meals should you avoid throughout your nightly routine? In general, you should limit your intake of stimulants, difficult-to-digest foods, dishes strong in sugar or spice, and products that can cause heartburn.
Here are nine types of foods and drinks to avoid before bedtime:
1. Alcohol
While a drink may appear to help you fall asleep, it can interrupt your normal sleep cycle later in the night.
Alcohol can limit the amount of restorative REM sleep you experience, relax muscles, resulting in obstructive sleep apnoea and snoring, and cause acid reflux by altering the esophageal sphincter.
2. Heavy foods
Foods that are greasy, cheesy, or fried take longer to digest and can create indigestion, which disrupts sleep. Avoid heavy meals like cheeseburgers, fries, and huge steaks later in the day.
3. Foods with high water content
Foods high in water content, such as celery, watermelon and cucumbers, can increase your desire to use the loo at night. To avoid interrupting your sleep, try limiting these foods before bedtime.
4. Foods containing hidden caffeine
Many foods and beverages contain caffeine, even when you don’t expect it.
Check the labels for caffeine in beverages such as tea, soda, ice cream, and some desserts.
Caffeine can function as a stimulant, preventing you from falling deeper into sleep.
5. Super Sweet Treats
Overly sweet snacks can produce blood sugar spikes and crashes, upsetting your sleep habits. Avoid sugary cereals, pastries, and candies before bedtime.
6. Tyramine-Rich Foods
Tyramine-rich foods including tomatoes, soy sauce, eggplant, red wine, and aged cheeses can excite the brain and make it difficult to fall asleep.
It’s recommended to avoid these later in the day to get better sleep.
7. Spicy foods
Spicy dishes can raise your body temperature, making it difficult to fall asleep. Additionally, they can cause heartburn.
If you prefer spicy foods, try to eat them earlier in the day rather than at evening.
8. Acidic foods
Citrus juice, raw onion, white wine, and tomato sauce are all very acidic foods that can cause acid reflux and heartburn, making it difficult to sleep.
To reduce discomfort, consider avoiding these foods before bedtime.
9. Foods That Make You Gassy
Fiber-rich foods such as dried fruit, beans, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts can create gas and cramps, making sleep difficult.
While these items are nutritious, they are best avoided close to bedtime.
