You know that feeling.
You're ready to call it a night and get some much needed sleep, but there's a tiny grumbling in your tummy. A little munching wouldn't hurt, you say. But before you grab the first thing you see in your fridge, check out this list of foods to avoid before bedtime. While apples or crackers can actually help you get a good night's sleep, many others can disturb it, causing nightmares, insomnia, an irritated stomach, and trips to the potty at ungodly hours. Read on to find out what those foods are.
1. Pizza
While pizza always sounds good, you may want to re-think of consuming it late at night. According to a recent study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, that cheesy topping may give you nightmares. The acidic tomato sauce can also give you an upset stomach. In addition, pizza packs on the calories that you probably don't need. You say you're only going for one slice. But really, when's the last time you stopped at one slice?
2. Sugary Cereals
Some would call it a thing, having sweet cereals before bedtime, but you're actually better off with their high-fiber counterparts, like bran flakes or Cheerios. Aside from throwing off your sleep hormones (thus causing sleeplessness), they also spike your blood sugar which can trigger fat storage and other more serious implications.
3. Spicy Food
You may want to munch on chips and salsa while watching your late-night TV shows, but the spice in salsa might get your tummy doing the samba all night long. Aside from upset stomachs, chemicals found in spicy food stimulate your senses, thus making it harder for you to fall asleep.
4. Soda
When you're having your munchies, you also need something to drink, right? Just make sure it's not regular soda, or even diet soda. These drinks are spiked with sugar and caffeine, which will rev you up instead of calming you down for sleep.
5. Fruit Salad
With all these foods listed here, you would think fruits are the best choice. Think again. Watermelon, citrus, and cranberries are known diuretics, which mean that they will cause you to go on bathroom trips late at night or in the wee hours of the morning. Vegetables like eggplant, celery, and asparagus also have the same effect.
