A sufficient amount of restful slumber is crucial for overall health.
In fact, chronic sleep deprivation can negatively impact both your physical and mental health, as well as increase your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Many factors, including your diet, may make it more difficult for you to fall asleep and remain unconscious.
This article provides a list of 5 dishes and beverages that may keep you up at night.
1. Caffeinated foods and beverages
When considering foods and beverages that provide instant energy, coffee, and other caffeinated products may come to mind.
Caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous system, so it enhances feelings of alertness and makes you feel more aware and energized.
Due to this effect, caffeinated foods and beverages, such as soda, coffee, caffeinated tea, and caffeinated chocolate products, can have a negative impact on sleep and keep you awake at night.
In fact, research indicates that caffeine consumption, even many hours before bedtime, can disrupt sleep. A 2013 study involving 12 participants found that 400 mg of caffeine at bedtime, as well as 3 and 6 hours before bed, significantly disrupted sleep.
Ingestion of 400 mg of caffeine 6 hours before bedtime significantly increased the time required to fall asleep and decreased total sleep time by 1 hour, compared to placebo.
This lack of sleep caused by caffeine consumption may lead you to consume a large amount of caffeine the following day to combat feelings of fatigue, which can have a negative impact on the following night’s sleep. Some individuals call this cycle the caffeine cycle.
Others are able to consume caffeinated beverages closer to bedtime without experiencing sleep-related issues, despite the fact that some individuals are extremely sensitive to caffeine and experience sleep-related issues even after consuming a small amount. This is the result of genetic differences.
Even though experts recommend reducing caffeine consumption to promote restful sleep, it is especially essential if you’re caffeine-sensitive.
Caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous system and may impair sleep, particularly if consumed within six hours of bedtime. It may provide a short-term energy surge but has a negative effect on sleep duration and quality.
2. Spicy foods
There are multiple reasons why eating spicy foods close to nightfall may keep you awake.
Spicy foods are known to induce indigestion and exacerbate heartburn and acid reflux symptoms.
The acid may travel into the esophagus and cause irritation when you lie down to go to sleep, exacerbating the symptoms associated with fiery foods. This can keep you up at night and cause sleep disruptions.
If you experience heartburn after eating spicy foods or suffer from acid reflux, you may wish to avoid consuming spicy foods before bed.
Consuming extremely spicy foods, such as chili peppers, causes a minor increase in core and surface body temperature.
This is a temporary effect. Nonetheless, some researchers have proposed that an increase in body temperature caused by consuming piquant foods before bedtime may have a negative effect on sleep. Increased body temperature is associated with disturbed sleep.
Spicy foods can cause indigestion and acid reflux, which can disrupt your sleep. Spicy foods before bedtime may induce a feeling of heat, which can disrupt sleep.
3. High glycemic index foods and added sugar
Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) raise blood sugar levels swiftly. These foods consist of refined carbohydrates such as white bread, desserts, and foods with high levels of added sugars.
However, research on the effects of foods with a high GI on sleep has produced conflicting results. Some studies relate high GI diets with insomnia and sleeping problems, while others indicate that a high GI meal reduces the time it takes to fall asleep.
Over the course of a three-year follow-up period, those who followed a high glycemic diet were more prone to develop insomnia, according to a study of more than 77,000 women published in 2019.
In addition, the consumption of added sugar and refined carbohydrates was associated with an increased likelihood of insomnia.
Other studies have demonstrated a correlation between diets high in desserts, sugar-sweetened beverages, and refined carbohydrates and poor sleep quality.
A 2016 study involving 18,779 adults found that those who slept 5 hours or less per night consumed 21% more sugar-sweetened caffeinated beverages than those who slept 7 hours or more per night.
It is essential to note that this was an observational study. As a result, it is only possible to conclude that there was a correlation, but not what caused individuals to lose sleep.
In addition to the sugar, the participants in this study may have slept less due to the caffeine in the beverages.
There are multiple reasons why a high glycemic index diet and foods high in added sugar and refined grains may be linked to poor sleep quality.
High GI foods cause significant blood sugar spikes and declines. This causes the release of hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol, and growth hormone, which can result in symptoms such as anxiety, appetite, and irritability.
Studies indicate that reduced blood sugar may impair sleep quality. On the other hand, high blood sugar following a high glycemic meal may initially cause drowsiness, but the resulting changes in hormones, including insulin, may cause you to awaken later in the night.
Inflammatory responses in the body are also triggered by high glycemic diets, as are imbalances in beneficial intestinal bacteria, which may also influence sleep.
Diets high in added carbohydrates and glycemic index may negatively impact sleep. Consuming high-sugar foods close to bedtime may result in difficulty falling asleep and remaining asleep.
4. Fatty foods
Consuming high-fat foods, such as fried chicken and fatty meats, may contribute to sleeplessness.
Research indicates that consuming more fat, particularly saturated fat, may negatively impact your sleep pattern.
A 2016 study involving 26 individuals found that a higher intake of saturated fat was associated with less restful, lighter sleep.
Another study involving 459 women found that the amount of total fat and saturated fat ingested by participants decreased their total sleep time.
A 2015 study of 211 men revealed that those with insomnia consumed more saturated fat than those without sleep disorders.
In addition, a 2016 study involving 15,273 men discovered that those with insomnia consumed more trans fats than those without insomnia.
In addition, consuming a large, fatty supper late at night may hinder your ability to fall asleep.
This may be due to the fact that your digestive system slows down while you sleep, so a fattening meal may overwhelm the digestive system, causing discomfort that can keep you awake at night.
In addition, high-fat foods are known to aggravate acid reflux symptoms, which may keep you awake at night.
Diets high in total, saturated, and trans fats may cause insomnia and keep you up at night.
5. Fast food and other ultra-processed foods
Fast cuisine and packaged snacks may not be the optimal choice for a restful night’s sleep.
Consistently, research associates diets high in ultra-processed foods with poor sleep quality and brief sleep duration.
In a 2018 study of 118,462 adolescents aged 12 to 18, shorter sleep duration and poor sleep quality were found to be associated with increased consumption of fast food, instant noodles, and desserts.
A study conducted in 2020 on the sleeping habits of Brazilian adolescents found a correlation between poor sleep quality and higher consumption of ultra-processed foods.
No available studies have examined the effects of ultra-processed diets on adult sleep.
Considering the nutritional composition of ultra-processed foods, the results of the 2020 study are not surprising. These foods are typically high in sleep-disrupting components, such as refined carbohydrates, added sugar, and saturated and trans fats.
Moreover, diets high in ultra-processed foods may result in weight gain. According to studies, individuals with overweight or obesity tend to have more sleep problems than those without these conditions.
Obesity may cause obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that makes it difficult to breathe at night and results in sleep deprivation.
There is a correlation between ultra-processed foods and poor sleep quality, according to studies. Reducing your consumption of ultra-processed foods is beneficial for your overall health and may help you sleep better.
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