Sleep is one of the most important actions we can take for self-care and maintaining a clean bill of health. That’s why it’s essential to keep your sheets clean, your room dim, and your mattress good. Keeping the bedroom conducive for a kip has become a home priority.
Too often, we make lifestyle choices that aren’t the best in terms of giving us a good night’s sleep, and that includes indulging in an extra snack or drink before heading off to bed. It’s bad enough to eat close to your preferred bedtime, but its ill effects can be even more magnified if you’re ingesting particular things that hit certain aspects of your slumber.
Here are some of the worst things you can put in your belly right before sleeping:
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Cheese
Dairy is sometimes touted as helpful for restlessness as it has factors that contribute to your sleep-wake cycle and inducing sleepiness. But eating something cheesy or maybe even a slice of cheese on its own can cause extremely vivid dreams that could, in turn, disrupt your sleep. The likely reason for the thought that cheese may cause nightmares is because of this vividness coupled with existing anxiety you might have before going to bed. Other than that, a lot of cheese can give you a bad case of indigestion, and certain types can make you feel more alert and less rested.
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Alcohol
Many people go for a little nightcap that is meant to relax them and ease them into slumber. While alcohol temporarily has this effect on people, it cuts down your Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. When it is disruptive, you don’t get to sleep as deeply and are unable to get the full rejuvenating effects that you seek out when getting rest. It can also even cut down the actual hours of sleep you get to punch in.
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Chocolate
You may have seen conflicting reports on this mainly because chocolate helps your body release serotonin and, in turn, makes you feel more relaxed and happy. That said, the components of chocolate are also stimulative. That means if you eat it right before you sleep, you can either spend some time lying there awake or drift off but have a shortened REM cycle.
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Tea
Because of the notion of “sleepy time” teas and the like, people don’t realize that a lot of them contain caffeine. Not only can tea make you acidic during the night, with reflux disrupting your sleep, but it can also make you more alert and even give you heartburn overnight. Make sure you are aware of the type of tea you’re drinking so that it doesn’t wake you up even more.
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Chips
These junk foods are harmful when eaten during regular hours because of their high fat and salt content that can cause a host of health issues and bloating. These effects are almost magnified if you eat this before bed, and you may find yourself tossing and turning in your sleep as you get disruptive dreams, and you’re likely to feel parched in the morning.
If you can avoid consuming these before bedtime, you can have a more restful sleep that gives you that boost you need. Remember that slumber is an integral part of your lifestyle that you should handle well.
