Now that the holidays are here and there are so many different plans to attend to, getting enough sleep at night is super important.
There are a lot of things that can end up impacting your sleep, and as it turns out, the foods you eat throughout the day can make a big difference in whether or not you get a restful sleep at night. It’s especially crucial to pay attention to the foods you eat closer to bedtime, as there are some that can ‘make or break’ your nighttime experience. We spoke with health experts about four foods you should “avoid” eating past 6PM to get a good night’s sleep. Read more about them below.
Struggling With Sleep? This Rechargeable Sound Machine Is A Total Game-Changer
1. Watermelon
Watermelon is a very nutritious, low-calorie food that is not 'bad' for you in any way. In fact, it's a fruit often recommended for people to eat if they want to lose weight or eat something in high volume without overdoing it. However, watermelon is notoriously very hydrating, and Dr. Vickie Kasper, MD, notes that it might be a bad idea to eat it close to bedtime if you're disrupted easily.
"Watermelon is a low-calorie, healthy food, but it's mostly water," she explains. "Overhydration in the evening can keep you running to the bathroom during the night."
2. Spicy Food
From time to time, digging into a spicy, flavorful meal for dinner can be quite fun. Whether it's Mexican food, some kind of curry, or spicy Asian dish, it's not uncommon for people to dive into a spiced-up meal every now and then. However, eating super spicy foods past 6PM or right before bed might set you up for a rough night.
"Spicy curries or hot sauces trigger acid reflux when you lie down," says Dr. Hussain Ahmad, MD. "The capsaicin also slightly raises your internal body temperature, which works against your body's natural cooling process that helps start sleep."
3. Sugary Snacks
This might sound obvious, but one of the most popular foods to eat right before bed is some kind of dessert or sugary treat. There are a lot of people out there who can't imagine life without a sweet treat right before bed, but sugar is known to keep some people up at night.
"Sugar travels from the intestinal tract into the bloodstream," explains Dr. Kasper. "This is then released to move that sugar out of the bloodstream and into the liver and other organs where it is stored. That spike in insulin drives blood sugar levels down. The sugar crash alerts your brain that fuel supplies are low, triggering the release of adrenaline. That's why you wake up sweating and heart racing."
4. Pretzels & Salty Snacks
Sometimes, when you can't sleep or if you're up a little later than usual, it can be very tempting to hit up your favorite fast food joint for some late-night fries or dig into your freezer for some fried goodies like chicken tenders to munch on before falling asleep. However, if you're worried about getting a good night's sleep, it might be better to resist the urge.
"Anything deep-fried or heavily fatty, like fried chicken, greasy takeaways, makes your digestive system slow down in the evening as part of your circadian rhythm, so these foods just sit there and need lots of energy to break down," explains Dr. Ahmad. "This keeps your body in a more active state when it should be winding down."
