We all know that going to bed on a full stomach can do more harm than good, but if you must eat late at night, these are the foods you should avoid. From replacing caffeine with soothing herbal teas and sweet cereal with plain popcorn, you can make sure that eating late doesn’t result in a sleepless night.
1. Red Meats
Any food that’s high in protein such as steak and lamb digest much slower than fresh fruits and vegetables. As your mind prepares to go into sleep mode, your body will be working hard to digest all that protein. If you’re eating late at night, stick to fresh produce and up your protein intake during the day.
2. Cakes and Doughnuts
Sweet, fatty desserts like cakes and doughnuts are digested at a much slower rate than other foods. Avoid sugary snacks before bed to ensure a good night’s sleep. If you must have something sweet before bed, try something like coconut flakes or dried mango.
3. Sweet Cereal
Digging in to a bowl of cereal may seem like it’s better than a burger, but with all that sugar-packed cereal giving your blood sugar a rollercoaster ride, you’ll be storing it all as fat as you sleep. Try a bowl of popcorn instead – and not the caramel-covered ones!
4. Alcohol
Yes, it’s not technically food, but is definitely an important one to remember. You might think that alcohol will send you straight to sleep but in fact, it has a dehydrating effect on the body. This lack of water will slow down all the good restorative work your body would otherwise do while you’re asleep. If you must have an occasional drink before bed, ensure you’re drinking plenty of water too.
5. Coffee
It might sound like an obvious one but there’s a good reason people say you should stay away from coffee at night. And while technically it’s a drink and not a food, the caffeine in coffee, fizzy drinks like cola and believe it or not, chocolate will stimulate your nervous system and keep you awake at night. If you must have a hot drink before bed, try something a little more soothing – herbal teas like chamomile are great.