Have you been getting the proper amount of sleep? Healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. But for some reason, 1 in 3 American adults are sleep-deprived. There are so many lifestyle choices that are getting in the way of your snooze hours, and your diet is one of them. Today we’re talking about 7 Eating Habits That Are Ruining Your Sleep.
Am I eating too much spice? Should I not eat a meal even 4 hours before bedtime? What does chocolate do? Wait, I can’t even have 1 coffee after lunch? We’re talking all that AND more…
#1 You Drink Too Much Caffeine
I hate to break your heart so soon, but coffee might be one of the reasons you’re not sleeping. You’re not really supposed to have it after the morning time. Caffeine is usually consumed after you wake up. It’s a way for you to boost your energy early in the day. If your trips to the drive-through are extending into the afternoon, the chances of your sleep schedule getting screwed up are greater. You see, caffeine is a drug that counteracts your brain’s Adenosine. This is the chemical in your brain that collects as you become sleepy throughout the day. When it comes to caffeine use, experts recommend no more than four cups a day. But the later you drink the caffeine, the harder it is for Adenosine to do its job. The caffeine will block the effect of Adenosine and stop you from getting to sleep. I would try and avoid drinking caffeine in general. But if you’re going to have it, don’t have any after lunch. You need to give your Adenosine time to collect.
#2 Eating Too Much Spice
Now I’ll be the first to tell you that I love spicy food. I’ll eat the hottest chicken wings on the menu. But when it comes to spicy eating, you need to be careful about the effects it has on your body. This includes your sleep quality. A heavy diet of spicy food can stop you from going into a deeper sleep. As a result, you’re going to wake up feeling gross and exhausted. Here’s what spice does… While you’re asleep, your brain wakes up. Not your body, just your brain. From here, you shift from a deeper to a much lighter sleep. There’s also something else to talk about, capsaicin. This is an active compound in peppers that makes them spicy. Meals with capsaicin can cause heartburn and indigestion. This messes with your internal body temperature and causes you to overheat at night. From here, it will disrupt your sleep.
If you’re going to order spicy tacos, I suggest you have them for lunch and not for dinner. You need to leave some space between your dinner and your sleep. How much exactly? Well, that’s my next point.
#3 Eating Before Bed
You’ve definitely been told not to eat before bedtime. But most people interpret that as not scarfing down a pizza and hopping right into the sheets. The truth is that your last meal should be between 3 and 4 hours before sleep. It’s tough, but it’s true. Now, don't have a fit just yet. I know you love your midnight snacks. When I say “meal”, I’m talking more about something high-calorie. Eating will increase your core body temperature. Your body temperature needs to go down in order to get to sleep. A normal person will take 2 to 3 hours to digest all their food. If you go to sleep within this time, you’ll still be on a full stomach. This will affect your sleep quality, leaving you to wake up in bad shape.
So eating an entire sandwich before bed should be a no-go. But there are still some decent snacks you can chow down on. For one, you can have a banana. Pistachios are also delicious. If you want to mix it up a bit, go for some crackers and cheese. Or how about a filling drink like a smoothie. There are plenty of before-bed choices for those who are still hungry.
#4 Foods That Give You Heartburn
The worse off your diet is, the harder it will be to fall asleep. Remember a second ago when I mentioned how foods with capsaicin can cause heartburn? Well, spicy foods aren’t the only foods that can do this. Foods like chocolate, lemons, oranges, and tomatoes come to mind pretty quickly. You're also going to have to stop drinking so much. Alcohol is a huge cause of heartburn, red wine in particular. When it comes to caffeine, coffee isn’t the only thing you need to watch out for. You should also cut back on the tea. Greasy junk foods like chips and french fries are also fuel for heartburn. Chicken wings serve as an enemy as well. These choices cause your stomach to produce more acid, irritating your digestive system and splashing back up into your throat. This will definitely affect your sleep for the worse, so be careful.
#5 The Wrong Tea
I said a second ago that you should cut back on the tea. Well, I only mean certain types. There are some that are really hurting your chances of getting to sleep. A lot of people turn to tea as a relaxing alternative to coffee. Some have been drinking it all their life and never had a sip of coffee. But if you’re simply drinking black tea, you’re hurting your chances of going to sleep. Instead, you should be drinking chamomile. This has the ability to reduce inflammation and anxiety, as well as treat your insomnia. All thanks to an antioxidant known as apigenin, which binds with receptors in your brain. From here, your anxiety will decrease. Your chances of getting a healthy sleep will be much greater after this. Studies have shown that folks in nursing homes had better sleep quality after drinking chamomile tea than those who had none.
#6 You’re Eating Too Much Chocolate
This is one that you really need to watch out for. I mentioned chocolate very briefly a moment ago. Not only can it encourage heartburn, but it can also make you feel really miserable before bed. And if your sleep is ruined, you’ll only feel more miserable the next morning. Chocolate usually contains a small amount of caffeine. But if you’re a chocolate lover who eats it all the time, the caffeine in your system will build up. I mean sure, you’ll feel alert. But this will only make it harder for you to go to sleep. Add chocolate to your list of foods to stay away from. I’m not saying you should never eat it again. But try your best to cut back. This way you can figure out whether chocolate is the reason your sleep has been suffering.
#7 Don’t Drink So Much Milk
Much like the advice to not eat before bed, you’ve probably been told to drink warm milk instead. While a lot of people claim this works for them, there actually isn’t a ton of evidence to support it. Yes, milk contains something called tryptophan. This is an amino acid that triggers the production of serotonin. Serotonin boosts your mood and makes you more relaxed. This paves the way for melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that encourages sleep. For these reasons, people gravitate towards milk as a way to help them snooze. The problem is that most studies haven’t confirmed this yet. There is reason to believe that tryptophan and melatonin can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. But at the same time, there’s very little evidence to make a conclusion. Experts claim that milk may help people sleep not because of its contents, but more because it brings up a feeling of warmth. People simply feel better drinking milk. It can often remind us of happier times in our life.
If you’re having problems getting some shut-eye, stop drinking milk for a while and see if there are any improvements. Your sleeping schedule is so important to your health. It affects countless aspects of your life. Learn more about how to become a healthier sleeper. Do you have trouble getting to sleep? Let us know in the comments below!
The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. You should never use content in my writing as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or another qualified clinician. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if indicated for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog. Thank you.