Foods to avoid before bed

Did you know that what you eat before bed can interfere with your sleep?

Sleep plays an important part in our overall health and well being, so if you’re having trouble sleeping well, check out this list of foods to avoid before bed.

Foods to avoid before bed | BedGuard

Foods that prevent you from sleeping well

Caffeine

Food and drink containing caffeine can interfere with your sleep so stop the afternoon coffee and drink herbal tea instead. Caffeine is also in regular tea, colas, soft drinks and chocolate so avoid those as well, if want to sleep soundly.

Chocolate

Sorry to say that if you have trouble sleeping you may need to skip the chocolate — at least before bed. Chocolate contains caffeine, with the darker varieties containing the most. Chocolate also contains a stimulant called theobromine, which widens blood vessels and causes increased urination, making it difficult for you to sleep well.

Fried or fast foods

Chilling on the couch with a pizza or burgers might sound like the perfect end to the day, but it’s not doing you any favours when it comes to helping you sleep. Fatty foods should be avoided before bed as fat stimulates the production of acid in your stomach, which can cause heartburn. Greasy, fatty foods also take longer for your body to digest, which means your digestive system will still be hard at work, preventing you from a good nights’ sleep.

Spicy foods

Spicy foods are also on the ‘avoid before bed’ list, as they can irritate the stomach, causing heartburn and making it hard to relax before sleep. For some people, these foods may raise their body temperature, making them feel restless and hard to settle.

Alcohol

While alcohol can initially act as a sedative, it can interrupt normal sleep patterns, causing you to wake throughout the night.

Tobacco, drugs and other stimulants

Tobacco and other recreational drugs are stimulants. While neither are good for your health, they should be avoided before bed if you want to sleep well. Some medications can also interfere with the quality of sleep you get so be wary of those.

Water (or other liquids)

Of course, you need to drink plenty of water. Just avoid drinking too much before bed as you are likely to have to get up to the toilet during the night.

Eat sensibly

Always eat sensibly before bedtime. This means not going to bed hungry, not eating too close to bedtime and never going to sleep on a full stomach, as this can cause indigestion and interfere with your sleep. If possible, try to finish eating about two hours before retiring.

There are many things that can keep us up at night, but by knowing the foods to avoid before bed, you can increase your chances of a good nights’ sleep.

Your mattress is also critical in promoting good sleep. At BedGuard, we have a range of mattresses to suit every need. Browse our range today.

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