The sad reality is that almost all working adults have trouble sleeping from time to time. The inability to sleep well significantly impairs the quality of life. And it’s especially disappointing when there’s time to sleep, but you can’t fall asleep! Did you know that the cause is often the food you ate shortly before going to bed? Here are some foods to avoid.
Even if you manage to get to bed at a decent hour, you can easily find yourself waking up at two in the morning. Or constantly waking up to go to the bathroom. Or sleep shallow and restless and wake up in the morning completely broken and with huge bags under your eyes. Familiar?
Carlear Weiss, a sleep researcher at the University at Buffalo, notes that eating certain foods before bed has a significant impact on circadian rhythms that regulate the length and quality of your sleep-wake cycles. And it’s not just about coffee – it’s what experts don’t recommend eating and drinking at night. But remember that it is best to discuss all recommendations by correspondence with your doctor – one-size-fits-all advice does not exist!
Dairy
Sleep experts recommend avoiding dairy products, especially sugary yogurts, cottage cheese and other desserts, at least three hours before a night’s rest. The reason for this is the high fat and sugar content, which can stimulate unnecessary vigor and activity in the intestines. The exception is kefir (good for the microbiome), a piece of hard cheese (contains tyrosine, which promotes the production of melatonin), Greek yogurt (read about this below)
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Spicy dishes
Foods high in spices and hot spices can cause thirst, heartburn, and acid reflux. Also, capsaicin, a component of red pepper, causes an increase in body temperature – also an average sleep aid.
Alcohol