In this article, I explain why certain foods can have a harmful influence on our sleep.
Because if you suffer from insomnia, it may not be because of the reasons usually given by medicine.
A factor, often set aside, is just as decisive:it is about food.
That's what I understood after years of looking for what was wrong between me and Morpheus.
I discovered that my diet was negatively influencing my sleep.
Since I know this, I avoid eating certain foods in order to sleep better.
Discover 26 unsuspected foods that prevent you from sleeping well. Watch:
I'm warning you; the few lines that follow will be unbearable for many gourmands.
I'll list the families of foods that you should no longer eat in the evening, even if many of them are delicious!
Quite logically, these are foods high in fat and saturated fats.
If you didn't understand, we're talking about pizzas or fries.
With them, be sure that your digestion is put to work for longer.
It is therefore very advisable not to eat it in the evening.
But it's not just that!
Foods rich in energizing substances should also be avoided.
These include, for example, chocolate, pistachios or Chinese food.
More surprisingly, certain vegetables (tomatoes, broccoli) are also to be avoided in your dinners.
Not that they're obviously bad, but they promote brain activity, just like deli meats.
Their fiber content prevents you from sleeping , your brain becoming a real calculator.
To finish knocking you out, know that red meat is also difficult to digest given its protein content.
Your stomach takes a long time to digest it.
I hope that with all this I have not undermined your morale!?
No ? So let's continue; let's see all the foods that are real sleep suppressants.
Pizza is a practical dish, because simple to prepare, it's true.
Except that it's really not the kind of dish to eat in the evening!
In any case, not if you want to have sweet dreams.
The combination of fat, cheese and acid in tomato sauce directly affects your sleep.
Even if it does not necessarily create heartburn, the body really struggles to digest all that.
Foods high in acid trigger a lot of very annoying acid reflux.
And yes; one of the favorite specialties of the French is unfortunately not recommended in the evening.
Because you probably don't know it, but Chinese food contains a lot of monosodium glutamate.
Quesaco?
It's an amino acid that gives a bit of the same effects as... caffeine.
You know what I mean!
This food affects your nervous system and keeps you awake.
Eating tomatoes is like giving your brain a boost.
The tomato indeed contributes to create norepinephrine.
Basically, it's a chemical that increases brain activity.
Your ciboulot is put to use and remains active.
A lot of people think that a high-protein dinner helps you sleep better since your stomach is full.
Well, studies prove quite the opposite!
Consume red meat, full of protein, clearly disturbs sleep.
Your stomach is heavy and takes a long time to digest.
So if you're looking for a way to sleep better, this isn't the one!
I will definitely teach you one thing. Chocolate is not just cocoa.
Chocolate is also a hidden source of caffeine!
This caffeine causes an increase in wakefulness, but above all, it unbalances the phases of deep sleep.
Besides caffeine, dark chocolate also contains theobromine.
This substance has the effect of accelerating the heart rate.
So if you don't want to spend sleepless nights, eat your pleasure tablets during the day.
Loaded burritos, fried chicken...
These high-fat foods take longer to digest and cause bloating and indigestion.
Fatty foods are the worst heartburn triggers.
Falling asleep right after eating it is very bad for your health.
Prefer to eat this type of dish during the day.
I have often seen athletes eat heaps of pistachios before practicing their activity.
I finally understood why...
Pistachios have a very satiating effect and are a natural source of energy.
So unless you do 100m every night, prefer to eat it as a snack.
Raw vegetables (celery, cauliflower, carrots...) are very good for your health.
But they are also very rich in fiber.
And fiber is super long and difficult for the stomach to digest.
Consuming this type of food can therefore disturb sleep.
Here, take broccoli for example.
Certainly, they are armored in tryptophan, a substance that promotes sleep.
But at the same time, they are also full of fiber that prevents you from sleeping.
A real paradox...
If you want to stimulate your brain, eat deli meats.
Why?
Because it contains an amino acid called tyramine which somehow boosts its activity.
Deli meats therefore really do not help your body to calm down because your neurons are put to work.
To sleep well, it is better to avoid eating slices of sausage at night!
If I told you that tea contains caffeine, would you believe me?
Well, I assure you, however, that it is true; ditto for matcha by the way.
When you drink tea or matcha in the evening believing you are calming down, you are actually drinking a caffeinated drink!
Tea stimulates our organism and especially our brain.
It is not good to take it just before going to bed.
And I'm not even talking about green tea.
In addition to caffeine, this tea contains theobromine and theophylline.
These substances are known to cause rapid heartbeat, nervousness or anxiety!
Warning; let's be clear.
I'm not saying green tea is unhealthy. Quite the contrary.
I'm just saying don't drink it after 4-5pm.
Chili peppers and spicy foods boost our metabolism.
The problem is that consuming them late in the evening, it triggers heartburn.
Unpleasant acid reflux occurs in the esophagus which does not promote sleep.
People with weak stomachs take a long time to digest them, or even they don't digest them at all!
And then I have to explain one thing to you about these foods:they are thermogenic.
That is, they have the ability to increase body temperature.
While we sleep, our internal temperature naturally decreases.
The fact of having eaten spicy foods increases this temperature and bothers us during sleep.
The body cannot rest normally and sleep is greatly affected.
And don't think hot sauce hurts you less.
Know that it contains capsaicin.
What does capsaicin have to do with sleep?
Well, capsaicin makes the esophagus stay open longer also causing intense heartburn sensations.
What do a cigarette and an eggplant have in common?
Lost is not its conical shape, but the fact that they both contain nicotine.
You don't believe me?
Well know that according to an American study, 10 kg of eggplant contain as much nicotine as a cigarette!
This nicotine being an exciting substance, I advise you not to take it at night.
Otherwise you risk not sleeping awake all night...
Oats are good for your health.
In addition, its properties promote sleep.
But then what is the problem with this cereal will you tell me?
Well, know that oats take a long time to be digested, because full of fiber.
It can create bloating that prevents us from sleeping well.
So oats yes, but rather at breakfast than in the evening at dinner.
Alcohol may make you sleepy at first, but it always ends up disrupting sleep.
Why ? Because alcohol consumption increases sleep disorders.
Snoring first, but also insomnia; alcohol deprives you of a serene sleep.
This is scientifically explained by the fact that alcohol relaxes the esophageal sphincter.
It's the valve that keeps stomach acid from backing up into your throat.
Because of the alcohol, it no longer plays its role and you have unpleasant ups and downs all night long.
Your sleep is therefore constantly disturbed.
Do you like to eat a little ice cream in the evening before going to sleep?
You are not alone ! It's a ritual that many French people have.
Unfortunately, it's not the best for sleeping well!
Indeed, ice cream is one of the worst foods you can choose for a midnight snack.
Rich in fat and sugar, our digestive system takes time to digest them...
So I know it's good to eat it while watching your movie, but still think about your sleep.
Let's agree.
Eating salad is very good for your health and it is not a question of stopping this good habit.
I'm just informing you that salad is a powerful natural diuretic .
In other words, it often makes you want to pee and therefore get up several times at night.
If you manage to go back to sleep without worry, no need to change your habits.
Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C.
And vitamin C, is a natural energizer for the body.
Your body is overexcited when you consume it and it disturbs sleep.
Consuming too many dried fruits can upset the stomach, cause gas and cramps at night.
Why?
Because they have a high fiber content while having a low water content.
And a little advice; don't eat them in the morning either.
All nutritionists say it:stop adding dried fruit to your cereal.
Peppermint has real health benefits...
...but sleeping well is not one of them!
Many people put mint in their mouths after dinner to freshen their breath.
It is often added to tea as well.
Except what you don't know is that mint is a heartburn trigger.
So definitely avoid it before bed!
Onions are known to cause gas which affects the pressure in your stomach.
The sphincter is then forced to open, the acidity of your meals rises, creating acid burns in the esophagus.
To avoid having a stomach ache and stinking up your bedroom (and your spouse at the same time), it is better to avoid eating too much.
You guessed it, caffeine is obviously one of the anti-sleep substances.
But do you know exactly why it keeps us awake?
Come on, I'll give you the scientific explanation.
Caffeine molecules are similar to a chemical naturally present in our body:adenosine.
This adenosine accumulates throughout the day and eventually makes us feel tired.
Except that the caffeine molecules mix with the adenosine and prevent it from doing its job.
Adenosine no longer sends the fatigue signal to the brain and so we stay awake.
Also be aware that even if you switch to decaffeinated, this does not necessarily solve the problem.
Decaffeinated coffee still contains enough caffeine to disrupt sleep patterns.
Short; it is better simply not to consume coffee and sodas.
At least not in the evening.
And above all, do not enter the next vicious circle.
You had a bad night and you are very tired.
So you drink coffee all day to keep you awake.
In the evening, your body is full of caffeine and you still have a bad night.
The next day you have coffee to keep you awake and so on...
Although caffeine gives a temporary energy boost, it ultimately prevents you from having restful sleep.
It is undoubtedly one of the most popular sauces, yet think twice before consuming it in the evening.
Be aware that ketchup is extremely acidic because of the tomatoes it is made with.
If you add to this the chemicals to preserve it, you get a real cocktail of acidity.
All this can create very unpleasant heartburn, especially if you are particularly prone to indigestion.
And this is also the case for the tomato sauces that garnish our pasta! They also give heartburn.
Seeing a beautiful cheeseburger in a photo, we can't resist.
And yet, above all, do not eat this type of fatty and unhealthy food in the evening.
It's a real sleep killer.
The research on this subject is absolutely unanimous.
Consumption of processed foods is a direct cause of sleep disturbances.
They lead to more fragmented and shorter sleep.
You wake up the next morning feeling refreshed and refreshed.
No wonder when you know that this kind of food combines refined carbohydrates, added sugar and saturated fats!
This food is both bad for your waistline and your sleep.
So why bother?!
Are you the type to always have a large bottle of water on your bedside table?
Maybe you should reconsider.
You need to drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. It's a fact.
Except that drinking a lot before going to bed definitely makes you want to pee during sleep.
So to avoid getting up at night, reduce your water consumption 3 hours before bedtime.
Aged or fermented cheeses are high in tyramine.
It's an amino acid that tricks your body into feeling awake when it isn't.
So avoid aged cheese tastings in the evening.
Children, tonight is a bowl of cereal; I don't want to cook.
I don't want to make you feel guilty, but doing this is a double penalty!
Not only is it not terrible to eat in the evening, but it mainly raises blood sugar levels.
And that is not at all good for their sleep.
Once asleep, our whole body also goes to rest.
So you don't have to disturb it so that it recovers its strength .
Only a few organs remain on alert to keep us alive.
Well, know that certain foods disturb this rest and therefore our sleep.
The reason?
It's simply the fact that some foods take longer to digest than others.
Our digestive system and our organs remain active and our body then has trouble finding the famous sleep.
