As an adult, we tend to value a good night’s sleep a lot more than when we were younger. On most nights, if you had trouble sleeping or getting to sleep, you could just sleep in longer in order to catch up. Not so much if you have little kids and/or a demanding schedule! Here, we’re going to talk about ways in which you can help ensure that you get a good night’s rest by avoiding these types of food and drinks before bed, because as busy grown ups, we need all the help we can get!
Caffeinated Foods And Drinks
Avoid anything with caffeine before bed. This means even avoiding things like chocolate or certain types of teas or sodas at dinner or as a dessert. The extra sugar and caffeine will keep you up and make it harder for you to fall asleep when the time comes.
Highly Acidic Foods
It’s good to avoid acidic foods before bedtime like pastas with a red sauce, dishes that are very lemon forward, processed meats, and even some cheeses can be very acidic. Did you know that even certain types of pasta are considered acidic? Pastas that are made with refined grains can be very acidic, which can cause discomfort, indigestion, and even acid reflux at night when you are trying to sleep.
Spicy Foods
This goes hand in hand with avoiding acidic foods, but spicy foods can also have an adverse impact on your sleep. Combined with either acidic or high fat foods, spicy toppings and ingredients can compound an already unpleasant sleeping experience. Try having your spicy meals at lunch or even breakfast and save the more plain foods for the evenings.
Alcohol
Yes, it can be nice to unwind after a long day with a glass of wine or beer at dinner, but that comes with a price! Too much alcohol at dinner can impact your sleep schedule in a major way. As your body processes alcohol, it prioritizes the alcohol before anything else, so it can slow digestion and cause discomfort. Your brain also does not allow you to sleep very well when you have alcohol in your system, which disrupts REM cycles. Unfortunately, for sleep, avoiding alcohol is the best bet.
High In Fat Or Fried Foods
Although delicious, foods that are high in fat or that are deep fried are ones to avoid for dinner if you want to get a solid night of sleep. These types of foods tend to take longer to digest and can cause gas and bloating which disrupt sleep and make you uncomfortable as you are trying to fall asleep.
For The Road
We hope you enjoyed learning about foods to avoid before bedtime in order to get a good night’s rest. If you would like to know more about this or anything else along these lines, we are happy to help. Just contact us and we can go over your options and help you find the best path for your health and nutrition goals. Schedule a consultation for any of our amazing services by reaching out to us here. We look forward to hearing from you.
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