What Are The Worst Foods To Eat Before Bed?

Alexander Bruni
Author: Alexander Bruni Time for reading: ~9 minutes Last Updated: December 01, 2022
What Are The Worst Foods To Eat Before Bed?

Some foods give the body energy, while some can worsen conditions such as heartburn, indigestion, and acid reflux. Eating such products at night can make it difficult to fall asleep and worsen the quality of sleep. If you are familiar with sleep problems, try to change the menu of your dinner, which can spoil the night's rest. For your attention, products that, on the contrary, will spoil the night

After a bad  night's sleep , many people begin to play the blame game, looking for the cause  of insomnia  in stress at work, blue radiation from gadgets, or their partners in bed who are constantly tossing and turning. However, there is another common reason that can cause  sleep problems : a late dinner or snack.

It turns out that what we decide to eat before  bed can be crucial to the quality of  our sleep .

 

Some  foods  give the body energy, while some can worsen conditions such as heartburn, indigestion, and acid reflux. Consumption of such  products  at night can make it difficult to fall asleep and worsen the quality of  sleep . If you are familiar with  sleep problems , try to change the menu of your dinner, which can spoil the night's rest.

However, there is also good news: not all  products  harm  sleep . Some food, on the contrary, contributes to the establishment of biorhythms. Certain  foods help you fall asleep  faster   due to their calming effect on the body.

Of course, replacing one  product  with another is unlikely to cure chronic  insomnia  or help soothe a teething child. Nevertheless, changes in the evening diet will definitely benefit. We already know the list  of products that will help strengthen  sleep . Now for your attention products that, on the contrary, will spoil a night's rest faster than you can say "heartburn".

 

Ice

Sometimes, after a hard day, you want to crawl under the blanket, turn on your favorite series, take a whole bucket of ice cream and eat spoon after spoon. However, such a habit will certainly not bring any benefit - neither sleep nor the figure. First of all, because ice cream contains too much sugar, which increases insulin levels, which makes it difficult to fall asleep. In addition, most people want to eat ice cream right before bed , and not at 6 p.m. Snacking on ice cream late at night can lead to an increase in the level of cortisol, the so-called stress hormone, which also causes insomnia .

If it seems that nothing but ice cream will save the situation, try to replace it with healthy banana, which will not taste worse. In addition, bananas actually promote sleep .

 

Grapefruit

Very acidic foods can cause heartburn symptoms by relaxing the lower esophageal sphincter, which can cause acid reflux, thereby disrupting sleep . And grapefruits and oranges are very acidic.

 

Tomatoes

Another fruit that belongs to sour food. Tomatoes and dishes based on them can really contribute to insomnia , the reason is the same - heartburn.

 

Cheese

If you have at least a minimal intolerance to dairy products or an allergy, and you decide to enjoy a cheese plate before going to bed , it will definitely not benefit your night's rest. According to the nutritionist, any intolerance can cause inflammation, gas and bloating to lead to abdominal pain and discomfort that impairs sleep quality .

Even if you don't experience any problems digesting dairy products , there are cheeses that you should avoid in the evening. Aged cheeses contain tyramine, an amino acid that increases the production of norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter released during stressful situations as part of the fight-or-flight response, which can lead to increased alertness and poor sleep quality ). So save the gouda for your morning omelet, and choose goat cheese, crumbly feta or halloumi for dinner.

 

Wine

A meditative glass of Chardonnay can have quite the opposite effect. Although a glass of wine in the evening, it would seem, helps to relax and fall asleep faster , it prevents the body from fully transitioning to the fast sleep cycle , during which the entire body is restored. Studies show that late-night alcohol consumption increases the likelihood of waking up during the night and generally worsens sleep quality . Also, alcohol can cause snoring because it is a powerful muscle relaxant.

 

Beer

Bad news for fans of beer — it is also not the best choice before going to bed . Beer may not contain as much alcohol as wine or a martini, but it's still enough to cause dehydration, muscle cramps, and disrupted sleep cycles . In addition, people who have drunk beer at night usually have to get up every 2-3 hours to go to the bathroom.

 

Coffee and Coca-Cola / Pepsi

We hope this will not be news to you. Caffeine can stimulate the central nervous system even several hours after its consumption. And if you are sensitive to caffeine, it can generally lead to insomnia . The stimulating effect of caffeine can last from 8 to 14 hours, so don't forget about your sleep when you decide to drink coffee or coke with dinner. It is best to stop drinking caffeinated beverages about 8 hours before going to bed.

 

Chocolate

Another bad news — chocolate for dessert after dinner will not contribute to good sleep either . Like coffee, dark chocolate contains enough caffeine, which increases arousal, prevents the body from relaxing and disrupts deep sleep . Different chocolates contain different amounts of caffeine, but the averages are as follows: 60g of 70% cocoa chocolate has around 79mg of caffeine – more than half of what is in a 230ml cup of coffee. If you have ever noticed that you are sensitive to caffeine, but it is very difficult for you to give up chocolate, enjoy dessert in the morning or in the afternoon, or at least reduce the size of the portion.

 

Fatty foods

We are talking about such tempting burgers, pizza and burritos. And yes, it is also better to say goodbye to french fries and chips before going to bed . Any foods with a high fat content take a long time to digest, so they will not allow the body to relax. Also, fatty food often causes bloating and other indigestion, which prevents a full night's rest. This leads to restless sleep with frequent awakenings, and the next morning you will wake up far from refreshed and refreshed.

 

Flakes with a high sugar content

Chocolate balls or colored flakes are definitely not the best choice for dinner (unlike whole grain options with no added sugar). Breakfast cereals with a high sugar content lead to spikes in blood sugar, which will affect the quality of your sleep . It is better to choose cereals that contain less than 5 g of sugar per serving.

 

Hot pepper and spices

Spicy food is a good option when it comes to boosting metabolism, but not when it comes to good sleep . Hot spices, such as cayenne and tabasco, owe their metabolism-boosting properties to capsaicin, which can cause heartburn in people with sensitive digestive tracts. Also, this compound stimulates blood circulation, and its thermogenic properties increase the internal body temperature. Since a person's body temperature naturally decreases when the body prepares for sleep , its increase can lead to the fact that it will take much longer to fall asleep .

 

A dinner with a high protein or fat content

It would seem that meals containing a lot of proteins or fats will ensure satiety throughout the night, since you will wake up less often. But studies on the contrary show that eating a high-protein meal before bed can lead to insomnia . This is because such food contains less tryptophan, an amino acid that is a precursor to serotonin. A low ratio of tryptophan compared to other amino acids lowers serotonin levels. Also, foods rich in protein or fat can cause acid reflux or other indigestion, as you will have to go to bed with a full stomach.

 

Dried fruits

Eating too many high-fiber foods, such as dried fruit, can irritate the stomach and cause bloating and colic overnight. This is because dried fruits contain a lot of fiber and little water. It is best to consume such products in the first half of the day. Dried fruit is a good addition to cereal, granola or yogurt for breakfast.

 

Water

You will have to reconsider the usefulness of the glass of water on the nightstand if you drink it all before morning. It's definitely important to drink enough fluids throughout the day, as even mild dehydration can significantly reduce energy levels. But if you drink a lot of water right before bed , you probably wake up several times a night to go to the bathroom. Try to reduce your fluid intake about 3 hours before bed , rather make sure you drink enough throughout the day.

 

Pizza

A piece of pizza is a very tasty and convenient way to kill the worms late at night, but the morning will not be easy. The combination of fat in cheese and acid in tomato sauce can have a negative effect on sleep quality . As we already know, acidic foods can trigger acid reflux, especially if eaten at night. Even if you do not experience severe heartburn, reflux often leads to partial awakening from sleep and, as a result, fatigue the next day.

 

Mint

Many people like to eat a peppermint lollipop to freshen their breath after dinner. And someone adds mint to tea to get a calming effect. However, peppermint is a heartburn trigger. Therefore, it is better to refrain from consuming mint in any form before going to bed .

 

Green tea

Green tea is an excellent drink that stimulates the metabolism, but it is better to limit the consumption of tea a few hours before bedtime . In addition to caffeine, green tea contains two other stimulants—theobromine and theophylline—that can cause rapid heartbeat, nervousness, and anxiety.

 

French fries with ketchup

This popular fast food packs a double punch when it comes to sleep . French fries contain a lot of fat, which means you won't be able to fall asleep while your body digests them. And adding ketchup is an additional danger. Ketchup is made from tomatoes, which makes it sour. In addition to the natural acidity, the sauce is often preserved with the help of various chemicals that make it even more sour and contribute to heartburn. The same applies to other dishes with tomato sauces: pasta, pizza, etc. This is especially important if you have a sensitive digestive tract and are prone to indigestion. When you go to bed, digestion slows down, and the horizontal position of your body can make heartburn and indigestion worse.

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