Here Are the Foods You Should Avoid Before Going to Bed

Be careful about what foods you eat in the evening, especially before you go to bed. Some foods can impact how well you sleep and be avoided!

Sleep is crucial for our physical and mental well-being, and it's influenced by many factors: room temperature, mattress quality, stress levels, lighting, and those late-night scrolling sessions. However, one often overlooked factor is what we eat before bed. Our evening food choices can significantly impact the quality of our sleep, so it's important to avoid certain foods before bedtime.

As tempting as it may be to have a treat, avoid dark chocolate before bed. The sugar and caffeine in it, yes, dark chocolate contains caffeine, can boost your energy and make it harder to sleep. In general, steer clear of sugary foods since they raise blood glucose levels, causing energy spikes that delay sleep. Fatty foods are also a bad idea because they are hard to digest, making your body work longer at night, which can lead to restless sleep. This is especially true for ice cream, which combines fat and sugar, or pizzas.

Cheese should be avoided as well, as it contains tyramine, an amino acid that can keep your brain alert. It's best to resist late-night snacking altogether. Red meat is another food to skip, as it's high in animal protein that requires a lot of energy to digest. Plus, its protein contains tyrosine, which stimulates brain activity, especially when paired with spices, which can rev up your metabolism and disrupt sleep.

Spicy foods, while tasty, can cause heartburn and digestive discomfort, both of which disrupt sleep. Capsaicin, the active compound in chili peppers, can also raise body temperature, making it harder to fall into deep sleep.

When it comes to drinks, avoid coffee. Caffeine can stay in your system for hours, stimulating your nervous system and potentially affecting sleep for up to 14 hours. Watch out for sodas and certain teas that also contain caffeine. Alcohol, though often seen as a relaxant, can disrupt sleep by fragmenting it and interfering with REM cycles, which are vital for recovery.

Lastly, be careful with diuretic foods, those high in water content like cucumbers, carrots, celery, or watermelon, as they can cause frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom, disrupting your sleep. For similar reasons, avoid overdoing it with herbal teas and other drinks before bed.