Top foods you shouldn't eat before bed

Caffeinated drinks

Caffeine is a powerful stimulant that works by blocking adenosine—a chemical that promotes sleep. Drinking these beverages before bed will leave you alert, restless, and may cause insomnia or reduce the quality of deep sleep. The effects of caffeine can last for hours, so stop consuming them at least 6-8 hours before bedtime.

Illustrative image. (Image source: Internet)

Foods high in fat and fried foods

Foods high in saturated fats, such as fried foods, fatty meats, or fast food, take longer to digest than any other food group. The digestive system has to work harder when the body needs rest, leading to bloating, indigestion, and acid reflux. This heartburn and discomfort will directly disrupt your sleep.

Spicy food, strong spices

When consuming spicy foods, the stomach is irritated, causing stronger contractions, and belching is especially likely to occur. Furthermore, the compound capsaicin in chili peppers can increase body temperature. This temperature change can hinder the body's natural cooling process necessary for rest and deep sleep.

Foods high in sugar

Desserts, candy, and ice cream are foods that indirectly cause insomnia. The high sugar content causes a sudden spike in blood sugar, disrupting sleep-regulating hormones like melatonin. Studies also show that consuming a lot of sugar before bed can cause hyperglycemia during the night, making you more likely to wake up and reducing sleep quality.

Red meat and protein are difficult to digest.

While red meats are nutritious, they contain significant amounts of protein and fat, requiring a lengthy digestion process. Eating them late in the evening forces the stomach to work overtime throughout the night. This digestive burden not only causes discomfort and bloating but also prevents the body from fully relaxing, negatively impacting sleep.

Berries are juicy and have diuretic properties.

Certain fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, cucumber, or celery, have natural diuretic effects. Consuming them close to bedtime can increase the frequency of nighttime urination. Having to wake up multiple times to relieve yourself disrupts your deep sleep cycle, leaving you feeling tired the next morning.

Alcoholic beverages

Many people mistakenly believe that alcohol helps them fall asleep, but in reality, it only induces initial drowsiness. Alcohol is considered a powerful stimulant that disrupts subsequent sleep patterns. It reduces the duration of REM sleep (restorative sleep), leading to shallow sleep and frequent awakenings. Alcohol also exacerbates respiratory problems such as snoring and sleep apnea.

Suggestions for using certain foods before bed.

According to experts, combining complex carbohydrates with protein or a small amount of healthy fat is considered the best choice for a bedtime meal.

Complex carbohydrates are recommended, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These provide sufficient energy, helping you to have a good, restful sleep throughout the night.

In addition, protein found in milk or dairy products, fats in olive oil, canola oil, and various nuts also help soothe the stomach. When consuming these components, blood sugar will be maintained at an ideal value, preventing a sharp drop upon waking up each morning.

Specifically, many studies also confirm that when you snack, your blood sugar will gradually rise, making you feel sleepy faster. This is because complex carbohydrates activate the transport of tryptophan, an amino acid that can be quickly converted into a neurotransmitter, actively involved in nerve inhibition. This helps us easily fall into a deep sleep.

Furthermore, the presence of unsaturated fats like omega-3 and omega-6 also helps improve sleep quality very effectively. You can incorporate these components into your diet by consuming various nutritious nuts or directly using oils extracted from them.

According to experts, an ideal meal before bed would be a cup of yogurt, an apple, and some peanut butter, or a few whole-grain crackers, a small piece of turkey, and some cheese.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/top-thuc-pham-khong-nen-an-truoc-khi-di-ngu.900843.html