Are you guilty of eating right before bed? Well you probably aren’t alone. We have all had late dinners or the occasional dash to the freezer for a bowl of ice cream just before bed. What some people don’t realise is that there are some foods that you should be avoiding at all costs right before bed.
By steering clear of these sleep thieves late at night, you will be on your way to a much healthier night’s sleep.
Celery
When it comes to diet, celery is best-known as a low calorie, healthy option to snack on and that is why it is found in several weight-loss diets. So why exactly is celery something to avoid before bedtime? Because this crunchy snack is also a natural diuretic, which means it promotes the production of urine, it will basically make you need to use the bathroom more quickly and thus you will be waking up in the middle of the night. Eat them during the day and save yourself a visit to the loo during the night.
Red Meat
While the wagyu beef you just devoured might make you feel full and drowsy, that chunk of red meat is loaded with protein and fats that is going to make your body work a lot harder to fully digest it. Red meat can be good for you, but eating a large portion of it right before bed might distract your body from fully resting during the night.
Pizza
Sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than a slice of pizza late at night. And you might be enjoying the taste, but your stomach is not going to be thanking you for the extra work right before bed time. Pizza can be loaded with grease and high-fat ingredients like cheeses and meats, which are a perfect recipe for heartburn and/or stomach ache. Sacrificing sleep for a scrumptious slice isn’t worth it. Save it for lunch the next day and wake up having slept through the night.
Dark Chocolate
While a bit of dark chocolate can be good for the heart, enjoying this treat right before bed is not a good idea. All chocolate contains at least some level of caffeine, but dark chocolate has higher levels of caffeine. Between the caffeine and theobromine – an alkaloid in dark chocolate that speeds up your heart rate – dark chocolate will steal some precious Zs from you by keeping you up later.
Citrus Fruits
Surprised by this one? Grapefruits and oranges for example, can increase the stomach’s acidity. If acid reflux and/or heartburn can be an issue for you, then steer clear of these fruits before you go to sleep. Your stomach’s reaction to these fruits may consequently prevent you from falling asleep from the discomfort.
