There are some foods that you might eat during the evening which may cause insomnia. You might think that you have sleeping problems, but in fact what you eat could be the reason. Your body’s inability to relax might be generated by certain foods, so you should try to avoid eating them in order to get rid of insomnia. Coffee and chocolate are obviously harmful, but there are also foods like ice cream, red meat and spicy dishes that cause insomnia.
- Coffee and chocolate
Drinking a cup of hot coffee before bed might be tempting, but the caffeine content of coffee will not help you sleep. On the contrary, you will suffer from insomnia and you will not be able to fall asleep. You can replace regular coffee with caffeine-free coffee. However, if you really want to have a restful night, you should drink a glass of hot milk because it is better for digestion. As for chocolate, since it contains sugar, it will give make you hyper! That is not something you need before going to bed especially because it also contains caffeine. Sugar free white chocolate would be a much better choice.
- Alcohol
It may be nice to have a glass or two of wine to relax before bed, but this might be the very reason why you are so tired and why you are affected by insomnia. Alcohol temporarily increases your serotonin and sugar levels which, in turn, increase your energy level and you become cheerful. Later, however, these levels drop and you will be dehydrated and have a pretty hectic night. Drink a glass of wine or eat products that have alcohol in them 3 hours before going to sleep.
- Red meat
Although red meat is a good source of protein and iron, make sure you eat it at least 2 hours before bedtime. The proteins and fats contained by red meat are hard to digest, so you will feel full for a longer time. Your insomnia might be cause by your eating habits. A slice of turkey or a piece of fish would be great replacements!
- Spicy dishes
Spicy dishes may seem appropriate for dinner, but they will not help with your insomnia. They will speed up your metabolism and your brain activity. In addition, they will produce stomach acid, which leads to bloating and heartburn. If you want to eat something spicy, try to do so at least 3 hours before going to bed.
- Celery
Although celery has very few calories and it seems ideal for dinner, it is a natural diuretic, so it is not recommended at all. If you eat it one or 2 hours before going to bed, even if you fall asleep you will wake up often because you will have to go to the bathroom. If you wake up often, then you will most probably get insomnia. Do not give up eating celery, but include it in your lunch dishes instead.