Foods to Avoid If You Want A Good Night's Sleep

We all love some midnight snackin' but it should be done right!

Sometimes dinner just doesn't cut it (Although I discourage anyone to eat right before they hit the sheets). Although generally being full before going to sleep makes you prone to gaining more weight, some food and beverages can actually affect your sleep and make you even more tired when you wake up. Today let's take a look into which food and drinks you should avoid:

Food and Beverages with Caffeine

Coffee, tea or some chocolate? All comfort food that makes us relax and wind down after a tiring day. But did you know that our bodies need up to five hours to rid itself of caffeine? If you enjoy your usual cup, opt for a decaf option instead.

Spicy Food

Late-night snacking on something hot especially when consumed within three hours before bedtime can often induce indigestion and re flux. Spicy food doesn't affect your sleep but causes heartburn- and that will surely interrupt your sleep.

High-Fat Food

Pizza, butter-drenched pop corn, anything fried and chips..plus soda? Nahhhh. Fat takes a long time to digest which will keep the body awake or not well-rested as you'll wake up still feeling full because of indigestion.

Alcohol

Alcohol can either put you to sleep or make you wake up three or four hours later. That scenario is especially true when you have to throw up after you've had too much to take.But more importantly, alcohol can be classified as a 'downer' and you can miss out on REM during your sleep- the final stage in your sleep where most vivid dreams occur.

Water

I am a firm believer of drinking water before calling it a night. But do so not less in an hour before bedtime. We do after all have to flush our fluid intake and going to sleep on a full bladder can cause multiple problems in the long run.

Nothing! A.K.A. Going to Bed Hungry

Food and beverage is best avoided prior going to bed but it's not a good idea to sleep while your stomach is growling either. This causes sleeplessness (seriously, who could go to sleep while you think too much about food) and increased activity (doing things to distract you from hunger). Instead, eat a light snack such as crackers and some milk- which is a surefire drink to help you have a good night's sleep.

#y101 #alwaysfirst #food101