Having trouble sleeping? Stop eating this food right now

Health

By Melissa Rudy, Fox News

When creating an ideal sleep environment, you may think about lighting, temperature, and sound, but what about food?

What you eat during the day can have a surprising impact on the quality of your sleep at night, experts say.

“Food choice is an essential consideration to ensure good quality sleep. Certain types of foods promote sleep while others can cause sleep disruptions,” Dr. Chelsie Rohrscheib, chief sleep expert at Wesper, a sleep analytics company in New York, told Fox News Digital. .

Here’s what you need to know.

Signs that food is interfering with sleep

If after eating you have trouble falling asleep, wake up often during the night, or suffer from heartburn, acid reflux, or indigestion, your food choices could be the cause, according to Dr. Raj Dasgupta, chief medical advisor in Sleepopolis, California.

Other warning signs include restlessness or upset stomach, needing to go to the bathroom more frequently at night, or waking up groggy or restless.

“Having vivid dreams or nightmares or noticing changes in your usual sleep routine” are other indications that food might be interfering with sleep, Dasgupta said.

“Paying attention to these signals can help you determine if certain foods or drinks are harming your sleep quality, so you can make adjustments as needed for better rest,” he said.

The Best Foods to Eat for Quality Sleep

Foods that promote better sleep include meals with a good amount of lean protein, meals high in fiber, and meals high in complex carbohydrates, according to Rohrscheib.

“This food combination keeps us feeling full throughout the night and prevents us from waking up because of hunger,” she said.

“It also reduces the risk of indigestion and heartburn.”

Foods containing dairy are particularly beneficial, she explained, because they contain tryptophan, an amino acid essential for the production of serotonin and melatonin, two chemicals necessary for sleep.

Bananas can also help promote sleep, according to Dasgupta.

“They contain magnesium and tryptophan, which can help you relax and stimulate the production of sleep-inducing hormones,” he told Fox News Digital.

Almonds also provide magnesium for muscle relaxation; they contain protein and healthy fats to keep blood sugar levels stable, he said.

“Cherries contain natural melatonin, potentially helping to regulate your sleep-wake cycles,” Dasgupta said.

Oatmeal is also a food that promotes sleep.

“Its complex carbohydrates increase serotonin levels, while its melatonin content helps regulate sleep,” Dasgupta said.

As we all hear around Thanksgiving time, turkey is rich in tryptophan, aiding the production of serotonin and melatonin, Dasgupta noted.

“Kiwi is full of antioxidants, vitamins and serotonin, all of which support sleep regulation,” he said.

Dasgupta also recommends eating Greek yogurt to promote better sleep, as its calcium content helps the body use tryptophan for melatonin production, while its protein helps maintain blood sugar levels.

“Finally, warm milk, with its tryptophan content and comforting warmth, can help you relax” for a good night’s sleep, he says.

Those who are lactose intolerant can opt for lukewarm almond milk.

Foods that can disrupt sleep

Certain foods are more likely to cause indigestion and heartburn, making it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, according to Rohrscheib.

“This includes foods high in fat or acid, foods with caffeine, or spicy foods,” she said.

Dasgupta agreed that eating heavy or spicy foods before bed can cause stomach upset, heartburn and acid reflux, which can make it harder to get comfortable.

“Fatty or heavy meals take longer to digest, which can make you uncomfortable and disrupt your sleep,” he advised.

Caffeine is also a common culprit in sleep problems: experts recommend avoiding it in the hours before bedtime.

“Any food containing caffeine, even in small amounts, should be avoided to avoid sleep disruption,” Rohrscheib said. “This includes coffee, some teas, sodas, energy drinks and some chocolates.”

It’s also best to abstain from alcohol, Dasgupta said. “While it may feel like a nightcap, it disrupts your sleep cycles, leading to poorer sleep quality.”

Highly processed foods and foods containing high amounts of sugar cause a rapid rise in glucose levels and increase the risk of a “blood sugar crash,” also known as hypoglycemia, Rohrscheib warned.

“When we are hypoglycemic, our brain tries to wake us up to eat more food to normalize our blood sugar,” she said. “So, these foods should be avoided before bedtime. »

“Lately, processed or junk foodloaded with additives and unhealthy fats, can disrupt your sleep patterns,” added Dasgupta.

Portion size is also a factor in sleep quality, both experts agree.

“No matter what type of meal you eat, eating too much and filling you up is likely to make you uncomfortable and lead to poor sleep quality,” Rohrscheib said.