Which foods are keeping you awake at night?

Here’s How Your Favourite Foods Are Negatively Affecting Your Sleep Cycle

If you are struggling to get a good night’s sleep, the solution to your troubles just might be sitting in your fridge. Indeed, research shows that various foods and dietary decisions can make it more difficult to sleep through the night, while others are excellent bedtime companions. Use this guidance to make sure your diet promotes successful sleep patterns:

• Avoid energy stimulants – While sweet treats or sugary drinks may seem like a tasty way to indulge before bedtime, food and drink with high sugar levels will provide an energy boost that delays your ability to snooze. Additionally, caffeinated beverages (eg coffee or fizzy drinks) can block sleep-inducing chemicals in your body for up to six hours. Instead, consider a caffeine-free cuppa or wholegrain cereal.
• Stay away from spices – If you find yourself tossing and turning throughout the night, it’s time to put down the hot sauce. Sleep experts report that eating spicy foods before your slumber can unsettle your stomach and raise your overall body temperature, making for an unpleasant sleeping experience.
• Try tryptophan – An amino acid known as tryptophan helps create sleep-inducing chemicals in the body, such as serotonin and melatonin. Incorporate tryptophan into your late-night diet by eating bananas, yoghurt, oats, eggs and peanuts.