Avoid These Foods If You Want a Good Night’s Sleep

Many of us suffer from poor sleep. Whether we have difficulties falling asleep or remaining asleep, it seems we are all complaining about our lack of sleep or poor sleep.

There are a lot of factors that come into play that affect our sleep. Stress, medical conditions, psychological disorders, and even diet can all affect our sleep.

Some factors are harder to control than others, but diet is definitely the easiest and most controllable factor. By choosing the right foods, you can promote sleep. On the other hand, choosing the wrong foods can leave you tossing and turning or wide awake.

Here are some foods you should avoid before bed as they can keep you awake at night.

Foods to Avoid before Sleep

Chocolate: Chocolate contains caffeine, especially dark chocolate. For some, even a small amount of chocolate before bed is enough to keep them awake.

Burgers: Eating burgers or any high-fat food late at night can disrupt sleep because your body produces more acid to digest it. This can result in greater heartburn which can keep you awake.
Pretzel sticks: Foods that contain white flour, like pretzel sticks, can cause blood sugar levels to spike, interrupting sleep cycles.

Alcohol: Although drinking alcohol may make you feel sleepy, it disrupts your sleep. It prevents restorative sleep, making you feel more tired the next day.

Broccoli: This one may sound like a shocker because broccoli is a health food, but cruciferous greens are high in soluble fiber, which makes digestion difficult as you sleep.

Cured meat and cheeses: Cured meats and cheeses contain tyramine, which can trigger headaches or even migraines. If you are going to enjoy these foods, have them earlier in the day.

Flavored yogurt: Flavored yogurts are high in sugar, which can boost energy. This is the opposite of what you want prior to sleeping. Furthermore, your metabolism slows down at night, which can make it harder to digest the flavored yogurt.

Chicken: Another food that is typically seen as healthy can disrupt your sleep when consumed too late. Consuming high amounts of protein before bed can further slow down your already slow metabolism. When your body is focusing on digesting rather than sleeping, then you are left tossing and turning.

Spicy food: Consuming spicy foods cannot only promote heartburn but also boosts circulation. Higher circulation means higher body temperature, which makes you uncomfortable when you are trying to sleep.

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