One of the worst feelings is not getting enough sleep, and there are many people out there who don’t realize how big of an impact what they eat has on their nighttime experience.
Although snacking and enjoying food and drinks right before bed can be tempting and comforting, there are a surprising number of items that can end up hindering the quality of your sleep. This is because they are likely filled with ingredients or additives that make it harder to sleep, and can also spike your cortisol levels, your stress hormone, which can impact sleep. Read more about what health experts are calling the four ‘worst’ foods and beverages to have before bed because they can ‘wreck’ your sleep below.
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1. High-Carb, Low-Protein Snacks
Snacks like pretzels, potato chips, popcorn, and more are all super common late-night snacks. They're accessible and super easy to eat loads of while watching a movie or scrolling on your phone. However, they're all high in carbohydrates and low in protein, making for an unbalanced choice before bedtime.
Registered dietitian Jana Hand with Helping Hand Nutrition notes that these foods can "spike cortisol" and harm sleep because they "digest quickly," leading to a spike in blood sugar and excess cortisol release.
2. Coffee Or Energy Drinks
This might sound obvious, but enjoying a late-night cup of coffee after a dinner out or consuming some kind of energy drink a little too close to bedtime can not only wreck your sleep but also mess with your hormones as well. Although caffeine is not the enemy during the day, it can be when you take it in too late or too frequently.
"Caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands," explains Hand. "One strong cup of coffee can raise cortisol 30–50% in caffeine-sensitive individuals, especially when fasting or under psychological stress. Caffeine, even afternoon 'small' amounts, can keep cortisol high into the evening, delay melatonin release, and reduce deep sleep and REM sleep. If melatonin is suppressed, you may fall asleep but stay in light sleep cycles. People often describe this as feeling half awake all night."
3. Artificially Sweetened Foods
When people see candies, snacks, ice cream, and other treats labeled as "zero sugar," they might automatically assume they're healthy and a nice thing to enjoy before falling asleep. However, these items are typically full of various types of artificial sugar, which Hand says is not smart to consume before bed.
"They can alter gut microbiota and stimulate the HPA axis (the brain's stress system). Not everyone reacts this way, but those who experience anxiety or jitteriness often do," she noted. "For some individuals, artificial sweeteners stimulate the HPA axis, increasing cortisol and adrenaline. Even if you fall asleep, you may experience light, non-restorative sleep, 2:00 to 3:00 AM awakenings, and jittery or anxious feelings during the night. This is more common in people with gut sensitivity."
4. Fried Foods
Every once in a while, having some fried food, like fried chicken or French fries, for dinner can be fun and tasty. However, when you eat them too close to bedtime, or eat them as part of a late dinner, you might pay for it later. As it turns out, the fats and properties in fried food can do more harm than good to your body over time, and wreck your good night's sleep.
"When digestion is prolonged, the body shifts energy toward processing food instead of settling into sleep, which can increase nighttime discomfort and cortisol output," notes Dr. Bronwyn Holmes, MD, with Eden.
