Of course, after a long day, everyone craves a little treat before bed. It has been known for years that eating before bed is not generally recommended – but now it turns out that there are common foods that can disrupt the quality and quantity of sleep in particular, as opposed to those that will cause far fewer such negative effects, as we will detail here with the help of Forefront.
Nutritionists who have studied the effect of eating late at night have identified certain foods that should be avoided close to bedtime:
Dark chocolate While dark
chocolate is a great snack, it contains caffeine that can keep you awake for hours. In addition, the sugar content of chocolate also raises blood sugar, which can also interfere with sleep due to the energy spike caused by glucose.
Spicy food Spicy
foods contain capsaicin, which raises body temperature, interferes with the heat regulation process and makes it difficult to find a comfortable temperature for sleeping. They can also cause heartburn, indigestion and hot flashes – all of which disrupt sleep.
Red meat Red
meats, such as steak and hamburgers, do have a feeling of fatigue, which may give the impression that they are promoting sleep – but in fact, they are simply harder to digest than other foods, which requires more energy and raises body temperature, and as mentioned, rising body temperature makes it difficult to sleep calmly. Lighter proteins, such as chicken or vegetarian dishes, are best consumed close to bedtime.
On the other hand, there are quite a few types of food that will cause almost no disturbance in sleep, so those who really want a night snack can choose between them:
Walnuts, pistachios, cashews, and other nuts contain melatonin, serotonin, magnesium, and selenium—all sleep-promoting nutrients.
Whole wheat toast with avocado
The slow energy release of whole wheat, along with magnesium and healthy fats from avocados, allows for restful sleep without a sudden energy surge.
Milk drinks Milk
contains protein, which contributes to feelings of satiety, and tryptophan – a substance that not only does not interfere with sleep, but also helps in the release of serotonin and indirectly melatonin, which promotes sleep.
Decaffeinated tea
Herbal teas like chamomile have a calming effect, without the caffeine disrupting sleep cycles.
At any late eating, it is advisable to opt for light and low-sugar snacks, and eat at least 3 hours before bedtime to avoid gastrointestinal disturbances during sleep.
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