Do you have problems sleeping? These foods and drinks could be to blame

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who have trouble sleeping, you’ve probably tried all the most talked about remedies. Maybe there’s chamomile tea in your pantry and melatonin supplements in your bathroom cabinet. You already know that it’s not a good idea to consume caffeine late in the afternoon and that while that glass of wine may help you fall asleep at first, you’re going to wake up in the middle of the night regretting it.

Are you still struggling? You might unknowingly consume something that is to blame. According to sleep doctors, there are more foods and drinks that can disrupt sleep than you might think. Here are seven foods and drinks that sleep doctors recommend avoiding if you have trouble sleeping. Plus, they offer advice on foods that will work for you, not against you.

Eating hot chicken wings or curry for dinner can cause sleep problems when you go to bed. Dr. Abhinav Singh, a board-certified sleep medicine and internal medicine physician, is medical director of the Indiana Sleep Center and a medical evaluator for the Sleep Foundation. He told HuffPost that eating foods spicier than you’re used to can increase stomach acid, which can cause acid reflux and make it difficult to sleep. Singh explained that stomach acid is already naturally higher at night and if it continues to increase, it can disrupt sleep.

Dr. Ruchir P. Patel, a sleep physician and medical director of the Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona, agrees. “Eating spicy foods before bed can cause acid reflux, which can trigger the brain to wake up too much.”

In addition to triggering acid reflux, Singh said, spicy foods can make you feel hotter, which can also disrupt sleep.

Patel said many people don’t realize that tomato sauce can be a trigger for acid reflux, which can disrupt sleep in a similar way to the effect of spicy foods. This means that eating pizza or spaghetti for dinner could keep you awake.

In general, Patel said, it’s best to avoid eating foods high in sodium and saturated fat (like pizza, especially if it contains pepperoni) three hours before bed because they take longer to digest, which can then cause sleep problems.

Like greasy pizza, hamburgers are another food that takes longer for the body to digest. For this reason, Singh said, eating a big, juicy burger too close to bedtime could keep you awake, especially if it contains ketchup, which, again, can trigger sleep-disrupting acid reflux. .

If you want a burger that will help you sleep rather than disrupt it, choose a plant-based burger made from lentils, which Singh says are easier to digest, or, if you’re going to eat beef, opt for as lean a cut as possible. possible.

You may want to resist a bowl of ice cream for dessert if you have trouble sleeping. Dr.Raj Dasgupta, Sleep Advisor’s chief medical advisor told HuffPost that foods high in sugar, like ice cream, can keep you awake. “High sugar can cause your blood sugar to fluctuate, cause stomach issues and keep you alert at bedtime, making it harder for you to relax and fall asleep,” he said.

Singh also said that chocolate ice cream in particular can keep you awake. “A lot of people don’t know that chocolate contains caffeine,” Singh said, adding that dark chocolate contains more caffeine than milk chocolate. Singh explained that the high fat, sugar and caffeine content of chocolate ice cream is a triple whammy in terms of sleep disruption.

In children’s movies, TV shows, and books, children are often given a glass of milk before bed. But in real life, Patel said, it can make it harder to fall asleep.

“Milk can trigger acid reflux” he said, adding that it can happen to children as well as adults. Patel explained that lactose in milk can be problematic. If you are prone to acid reflux but want to drink some milk in the evening, his advice is to choose a plant-based milk, lactose-free and which should not cause symptoms.

Although most people know that caffeine can disrupt sleep, Patel revealed that not everyone realizes they are consuming something that contains caffeine. “Some fancy water brands, like Vitaminwater, can have up to 50 milligrams of caffeine” he said. Singh added that some electrolyte drinks or powders may also contain caffeine.

Sucking on a peppermint after dinner or sipping mint tea seems pretty harmless. But Singh said it can cause sleep problems for some people. For what? Like many other foods on this list, he said that peppermint can trigger acid reflux, a connection that most people are not aware of.

Now that we know that fatty foods, spicy foods and ice cream are excluded from the menu, what happens? can you eat which will work in your favor? All three sleep doctors recommend eating a dinner that includes complex carbohydrates, fiber, and lean protein. Examples of complex carbohydrates rich in fiber are most vegetables, brown rice, lentils, beans, whole wheat bread and quinoa. Examples of lean proteins are poultry and fish.

Dasgupta explained that these types of foods promote healthy digestion, which is good for sleep. Scientific research confirms itshowing that a diet rich in fiber, complex carbohydrates, protein and unsaturated fats is linked to good sleep.

Singh says meal timing is also important. If you plan to eat before bed or want an evening snack, he recommends keeping the portion small, under 300 calories. “A handful of nuts is a good nighttime snack because it contains fiber and unsaturated fat,” he said.

What we eat and drink has a powerful effect on the body, including how well (or not) we sleep. If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, avoid the seven foods and drinks on this list to see if it makes a difference. Soon you may no longer need that melatonin.