5 foods that can cause insomnia at night and some suggestions for foods that improve sleep

Chocolate, cheese, curry, ice cream and chips are foods that if eaten too late will not give you a good night's sleep.

Chocolate contains caffeine, which can cause insomnia. (Illustration: iStock)

"If you've tried every sleep remedy under the sun and still feel tired when trying to sleep through the night, it could be because you're eating the wrong foods before bed," Cheryl Lythgoe, a nurse at Benenden Health, told Huffington Post .

Here are 5 foods that, if eaten before bedtime, will make it difficult for you to get a good night's sleep:

Chocolate

Chocolate probably won't contribute to sweet dreams because it's high in caffeine.

"During the later stages of sleep, caffeine consumption can cause rapid eye movement (REM) sleep to occur more frequently, which is why you're more likely to feel a little groggy from lack of sleep the morning after the night before," Benenden Health reports.

Cheese

Some cheeses and preserved meats, including bacon, ham, and pepperoni, contain high levels of tyramine.

"Tyramine causes the adrenal glands to release 'fight or flight' hormones, increasing alertness for several hours," experts explain.

Curry

Don't eat curry if you're in a rush to go to bed, as curry and other spicy foods contain high levels of capsaicin.

“This compound increases body temperature by interfering with the body's thermoregulation, which disrupts sleep. Add this to the high energy required to digest the spice and you may say goodbye to deep sleep,” the report said.

Cream

Many people enjoy a scoop of ice cream at the end of a meal. Just make sure it's not too close to bedtime.

Sugary foods, such as ice cream and sweets, initially cause blood sugar to spike, then drop as you sleep, the researchers write.

A drop in blood sugar alerts the adrenal glands that there is an emergency, thus increasing cortisol levels and waking the body from sleep."

Snacks

Consuming too much salt can dehydrate your body and increase water retention, which can cause fatigue.

While this may seem helpful for getting a good night's sleep, a study conducted by the European Society of Endocrinology found that salty snacks can disrupt sleep.

Instead, experts warn against salty foods, including chips and french fries, two to three hours before bedtime.

Along with the banned foods list, researchers at Benenden Health explain that cherries, raw honey, bananas, turkey, and almonds are all great melatonin-boosting foods that can help improve your sleep.

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