The Worst Foods To Eat Before Bed
We’ve all heard it before “be sure to get a good night sleep”. But do you know how important that statement really is? Sleep plays an essential role in our physical health. During sleep, our bodies are busy recovering and recharging. However, if you’re not getting enough sleep, sleep deprivation can cause the release of insulin which could then cause weight gain and could possibly even increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. Further, sleep deprivation may also put you at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Most healthy adults require 7 to 9 hours of sleep and children and teens require even more than that! Although keep in mind this requirement will vary slightly from person to person. There are several things that can impact your quality of sleep starting with what you put in your body. The foods we eat right before bedtime can have a big impact on how many Z’s we catch at night! While some foods are better for you, there are quite a few that we strongly suggest staying away from. Keep in mind, every person is different and we are not medical professionals. Be sure to seek advice from your medical professional if you have any concerns about diet and how foods affect you personally. With that, let’s discover together the 15 foods you shouldn’t indulge in right before bed.
1. Coffee
Some people are able to drink a late-night coffee and won’t lose any sleep but that isn’t the case for most people. Drinking coffee right before bed may be an obvious no-no, but what most people don’t realize is drinking it even late in the afternoon can affect your quality of sleep too.
Caffeine can linger in your system for hours and in result can cause you to toss and turn for hours only to cut into your sacred sleeping time. Be sure to avoid coffee at least 6 hours before sleep!
Source: Shutterstock2. Chocolate
While avoiding coffee right before bed may be fairly obvious, indulging in decadent chocolate may not be. You see, chocolate contains caffeine too!
There are about 23 milligrams of caffeine in just 1 ounce of chocolate. While this is about quarter the amount found in a cup of coffee, most of us don’t eat just one ounce of chocolate at a time which means that caffeine can add up quickly. Chocoholics can relax because you don’t have to cut it out of your diet just try your best not to indulge in it right before bed!
Source: Shutterstock3. Fried Foods
I know those salty fried foods are delicious but when you’re late-night cravings hit try your best to stay clear of the drive-thru. Greasy foods move extremely slowly through the digestive system which means it will be working really hard when you sleep.
Indulging in fried foods in moderation can be okay, and should be enjoyed just preferably not right before bed if you’re hoping to get a good night’s rest!
Source: Shutterstock4. Soda
Drinking a glass of soda right before bed is a bad idea for a few reasons. Firstly, some sodas are loaded with caffeine and just like coffee, can wreak havoc on your sleep time. This will most likely cause you to toss and turn all night long.
Second, if you’re drinking regular soda and not diet, it’s loaded with sugar. Sugar can be extremely stimulating and in result, can cause restless sleep.
Source: Shutterstock5. Red Meat
You don’t have to cut red meat out of your diet entirely. After all, it’s a great source of protein and it also contains high levels of iron and tryptophan which both have been shown to help sleep. However, it would be a good idea not to indulge in red meat right before bed.
The high protein found in red meat is good for you just not right before bed because it can keep our bodies hard at work all night. Thus, may result in a restless sleep.
Source: Shutterstock6. Alcohol
Food isn’t the only culprit that affects our quality of sleep. Drinking before bed can impact your sleep too! I don’t know about you but a glass (or a few glasses) of red wine can knock me out, but this doesn’t mean you’ll be getting a good night’s rest.
When you fall asleep your liver is hard at work and is working hard to remove the alcohol from your system. This could, in turn, negatively affect your quality of sleep.
Source: Shutterstock7. Cruciferous Vegetables
Veggies in the cruciferous family such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts should certainly be a part of your regular diet, but perhaps just not at bedtime. These veggies are quite fibrous and because of that, they take your body a lot longer to digest.
Further, cruciferous veggies contain indigestible sugars that could cause bloating and gas. Both of these factors can certainly affect the quality of your sleep.
Source: Shutterstock8. Spicy Food
Spices can really enhance the flavor of many dishes, however, if you’re planning on digging into spicy food be sure it’s quite a few hours before bedtime. Some spicy foods such as chilies are known to raise our body temperature which can result in a restless sleep.
Further, spicy food can also seriously irritate your stomach especially if you’re prone to heartburn. Some even believe that spicy foods can cause nightmares, however, there isn’t enough evidence to prove this true. All in all, play it safe and save the spicy foods for dinner time.
Source: Shutterstock9. Sugary Breakfast Cereal’s
A delicious bowl of sweet cereal can really hit the spot especially when those late-night cravings hit. However, digging into a bowl of sugary breakfast cereal is not the smartest choice, especially if you’re hoping to get a good night’s sleep.
Cereals that are high in sugar will digest quickly and in turn, can spike your blood sugar. This can throw off your sleep hormones which might cause restless sleep. If you’re craving cereal be sure to indulge in one that is high-fiber, and low-sugar.
Source: Shutterstock10. Tomato Sauce
Tomato sauce is delicious, especially when paired with pasta or served on pizza! However, it would be wise to avoid eating it right before bed. Those who suffer from acid reflux may experience heartburn because tomatoes are highly acidic.
Further, tomato sauce contains an amino acid called tyramine. This amino acid can trigger the brain to release norepinephrine which is a stimulant that boosts brain activity. So if you’re planning on indulging, make sure it’s several hours before bedtime.
Source: Shutterstock11. Orange Juice
A cup of OJ pairs wonderfully with breakfast but it should really be avoided at night time. Like tomatoes, citrus fruits are highly acidic which can wreak havoc if you suffer from acid reflux. Plus drinking right before bedtime can cause frequent visits to the bathroom throughout the night.
Further, many store-bought cartons of orange juice are loaded with sugar and as we discussed earlier is never a good idea if you’re looking to get a good night’s rest.
Source: Shutterstock12. Protein Shakes
Consuming enough protein is important in achieving a healthy diet. For some protein shakes are an easy way to increase protein consumption. However, if you’re hitting the gym late at night and come home to drink a post-workout drink be sure to check out the ingredients of your protein powder.
Many sport shakes contain caffeine which can help you pre-workout but can wreak havoc post-workout, especially if you’re planning on going to sleep shortly after.
Source: Shutterstock13. Pizza
Pizza is a glorious meal because it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and of course as a snack and no one will judge you! But, you really shouldn’t reach for that cheesy pizza late at night.
For starters, pizza contains tomato sauce that has high levels of acidity which could cause acid reflux. But that’s not all, combine the sauce with greasy toppings, high-fat cheese, and the list goes on, you’re just asking for a night of restless sleep. These hard-to-digest ingredients will make your organs work hard so be sure to save the pizza and eat it during the day while your body still has time to digest it!
Source: Shutterstock14. Celery
Okay, before you decide to ban eating celery all together we want to be clear this is still a healthy food and should be enjoyed! That said, you just may want to skip eating celery right before bed because celery is a natural diuretic.
Diuretics can cause frequent urination because they push water through your system. So if you’re reaching for a bunch of celery sticks before bed your slumber may be interrupted several times throughout the night.
Source: Shutterstock15. Ice Cream
Snuggling in to watch your favorite movie with a bowl of your favorite ice cream sounds like a great idea unless it’s right before bed. You see, ice cream is loaded with fat and eating it right before bed won’t provide your body enough time to burn it before sleeping.
Further, ice cream is loaded with sugar which will pump you with a jolt of energy which can cause a night of restless sleep. Not to mention sugar gets stored as fat which could in turn, cause weight gain. Some studies believe eating sugary foods before bed may cause nightmares too which is another recipe for disaster when it comes to sleep.
Source: ShutterstockNow that you’ve learned about which foods you should avoid before bed, discover the 15 Best Before Bed Snacks For Controlling Weight Gain.
