Revealed: The 5 surprising foods and drinks which could interrupt a good night’s sleep – including healthy choices like smoothies
- Some foods should be avoided at nighttime as they can be disruptive to sleep
- READ MORE: I’m a GP and here’s the worst place on your body to store excess fat
A few sleepless nights are usually nothing to worry about, but if you’re wide-eyed after gobbling your favourite snack – it could mean it’s time to switch up your diet.
The NHS recommends that Brits should aim for around seven to nine hours of sleep a day to maintain good overall health.
But what you’re eating could be having a profound impact on how well you’re resting.
And if you’re dozing for far less than that, it could be down to a number of different foods in your diet.
Here FEMAIL reveals the five surprising foods which could be disrupting your sleep cycle.
Some smoothies contain high amounts of sugar, which can cause an energy spike that may make it difficult to fall asleep (stock image)
1. Pizza
Pizza is known as the good mood food – its glorious mix of cheese, tomato base and tasty bread is relished by many all over the world.
However, according to Everyday Health, pizza can be particularly unhealthy as it’s loaded with saturated fat and sodium.
An expert warned that foods high in saturated fat like pizza, ice cream and French fries should largely be avoided at night.
Nutritionist Bonnie Taub-Dix said: ‘Many highly processed foods are also salty, which could cause you to wake up during the night to reach for something to drink.’
It’s best to keep the delicious snack to a daytime minimum.
2. Smoothies
It’s not news that sweet treats which are high in sugar like doughnuts, sweets and cakes should generally be avoided at any time of the day.
But did you know that some smoothies also pack a sugar punch, which could in turn be impacting your quality if sleep?
Overconsumption of sugar – especially before bedtime – can cause an energy spike that may make it difficult to fall asleep.
The expert explained that refined sugars can induce rapid fluctuations in your blood-glucose levels, which can spike adrenaline and also make it hard to fall asleep.
3. Cheese
Unfortunately, sometimes the more delicious the cheese, the worse the impact on a good night’s sleep.
The comfort snack is considered one of the worst to consume before bed, as it contains high amounts of the amino acid tyramine, which makes you feel alert.
Strong cheeses like cheddar and parmesan contain high amounts of tyramine which can increase your heart rate, setting quite the challenge for a decent snooze.
4. Tomatoes
Tomatoes may be a staple in many dishes, due to its rich, tangy flavour, however, eating tomatoes before you sleep can have a detrimental effect on your kip.
The otherwise healthy vegetable is high in vitamin C, which can irritate the stomach lining and elevate acidic PH levels in the body.
Ingesting too much before bedtime can trigger indigestion, heartburn, and acid reflux which interferes with a seamless sleep.
5. Water
Water has a host of health benefits and let’s face it, is one of the cheapest ways to quench your thirst throughout the day.
Drinking six-to-eight glasses a day can prevent dehydration, as well as lowering the risk of your body to overheating.
Overheating of the body can result in dire consequences like constipation and kidney stones.
And as many of us have experienced, consuming too much water at night can heavily interrupt your sleep.
A constant need to urinate may keep you up at night, eventually allowing sleepless nights to accrue – which could leave us tired, listless and irritable.
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