How Food Is Affecting Your Sleep

Many things can affect your sleep including technology and even food. What we eat, how much we eat, and what time we eat are all things that can have an affect on your sleep. Whether it’s having trouble falling asleep, having trouble staying asleep, or having trouble forming a good sleep pattern. They can all be affected by the food we eat and the beverages we drink. But there are some foods that affect your sleep more than others, if you are looking to improve your sleep try staying away from some of these common food habits.

1. Caffeine- Many of us drink things like coffee, soda, and energy drinks throughout the day to help us stay alert. All these beverages contain caffeine which puts adrenaline into your system and helps to make you feel more alert and awake. But what many people don’t know is that caffeine can remain in your system for up to 6 hours and make it hard for you to fall sleep at night.
2. Alcohol- While alcohol can often increase your drowsiness it has been shown that alcohol around bedtime can disrupt the quality of your sleep. So, you might be able to fall asleep a little quicker, but you also might notice that you’re waking up more often during the night or waking up feeling restless.
3. Spicy foods- While spicy foods are great its best to eat them during the daytime. Spicy foods are much harder for us to digest than lighter foods such as bananas or whole grains. Having trouble with digestion before bedtime can make it extremely difficult to fall asleep.
4. Big meals- Similarly to spicy foods eating a lot of food all at once can also be difficult for you to digest which can make it hard to fall asleep.
5. Snacking- while eating a ton of food or spicy food before bed can make it hard to fall asleep, so can having an empty stomach. If you are hungry with a growling stomach before bedtime it can make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep. Just be sure when you’re snacking before bed that you keep it light.
6. Sugar- eating a lot of sugar throughout the day can increase your energy levels and make it hard to fall asleep. Limiting your sugar helps to keep your energy levels consists and leads to a better night’s sleep.
7. Hydrate- Staying hydrated throughout the day has a big impact on your sleep. Being dehydrated at bedtime can increase snoring and cramping which can make it difficult to get a full night’s rest.

Try these 7 simple eating habits and start waking up feeling more rested!