Why do some foods make you fall asleep quickly, and others don’t? Scientists have long been studying this issue, finding out the effect of food on the quality of night rest. Of course, sleep depends on the composition and quantity of food. But it also gets influenced by the emotional state, the temperature in the room, and the light. So in any case, you should pay special attention to what you satisfy your hunger with shortly before going to bed. What foods work against sleep? Let’s find out.
Which Foods Cause Insomnia?
Here is the list of foods that lead to insomnia.
- Smoked Meat
Smoked meat in itself is not the best food, and even more so immediately before going to bed. The thing is that smoked meat contains a large amount of tyramine. This is a physiologically active amino acid that has a vasoconstrictive effect on the body, increasing blood pressure. But that’s not all.
Tyramine stimulates the production of norepinephrine, which leads to excitation of the nervous system. Any smoked products have a terrible effect on the quality of a night’s rest and inhibit falling asleep. Besides, they contain a lot of chemical additives that negatively affect all health in general. If you can’t stop eating meat before bed, opt for a turkey.
It is rich in tryptophan, an amino acid involved in synthesizing the hormone serotonin; it contributes to quality and prolonged sleep. If the production of this hormone gets disrupted, all circadian rhythms of sleep and wakefulness will also get disrupted. By the way, dairy and sour-milk foods are an excellent choice for the last meal, known for their calming effect.
- Alcohol
Excessive consumption of alcohol leads to insomnia; it is one of the most common side-effects of alcohol abuse. Thus, if you have insomnia, you must avoid drinking alcohol. If you are unable to do it yourself, get professional help.
Residents of the United States are lucky as several treatment facilities are available in each State. Those suffering from alcohol addiction can get help from local alcohol rehab centers located in their area. It will help them get rid of alcoholism easily. But remember that it will take weeks to restore a normal sleep cycle after getting sober.
- Hot and Spicy Foods
The thing is that spicy foods can cause heartburn, which does not contribute to normal sleep. If heartburn recurs only from time to time and a person knows exactly what provoked it, it is enough to exclude these negative factors. It will help to establish a sleep and wakefulness regimen.
If the attacks recur consistently, doctors suspect gastroesophageal reflux disease. The reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus occurs regularly with such a disease. Thus, leaving its mark on the quality of human life. In this case, it is better to seek help from specialists to find the cause of the pathology.
- Chocolate
Among all the sweets, chocolate stands apart. You can eat it even on a diet, and in general, scientists consider this food product to be incredibly useful for the body. Chocolate prevents the development of cardiovascular ailments, stroke and coronary heart disease, lowers blood pressure, strengthens the immune system.
It even helps maintain your youth and beauty, but it also has a lot of side effects that can play a cruel joke when eating it at night. Chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, which have a tonic effect. There are many other psychostimulant substances in it, and there are much more of them in dark chocolate than in dairy ones.
But this does not mean at all that you can replace the dark chocolate with milk chocolate and continue to eat it before going to bed. Dairy treats contain more sugar and fat, which are quite capable of causing diabetes and obesity. Chocolate, like coffee, is best consumed in the morning.
- Coffee
Everyone knows that coffee invigorates, so people try to drink this drink in the morning. But for coffee lovers, there is no difference between day and night. Accompanying the last meal with a cup of fragrant and favorite drink, these people go to bed. And then they are unable to fall asleep for a long time.
Coffee makes the heart and blood vessels work under conditions of increased stress, resulting in an increased heart rate and blood pressure. Instead of resting, the brain begins to work actively and analyze the information received during the day. In addition, this drink has a pronounced diuretic effect and can wake up a person more than once or twice in the middle of the night.
This is the reason nutritionists also recommend not to drink coffee in abundance. Several celebrities that don’t drink alcohol and coffee in excess also advise their followers to do so. You can listen to their advice and safeguard your well-being.
- Ice cream
As you can see, sleep, its duration and quality largely depend on a person’s food preferences. If there are ardent lovers of ice cream among the readers, which they often eat before bed, there is a high probability that they have insomnia. This is because ice cream is a cold product.
It constricts blood vessels, slowing down blood circulation and disrupting the process of digestion of food. At night, the stomach must rest, so it is forced to work, and for this, it must also make increased efforts. All kinds of additives in the form of nuts and chocolate will act as “batteries” for the mind.
This means that you won’t be able to fall asleep for a very long time. Popsicles are also not the best solution. It is best to drink a glass of kefir or natural yogurt at night, and soon you yourself will not notice how you plunge into the kingdom of Morpheus.
You must refrain from consuming the foods and beverages mentioned above before going to bed. Avoiding these foods will surely help you get a proper night’s sleep.