These foods sabotage sleep
Key Takeaways
Certain foods like chocolate, greasy snacks, and spicy dishes can disrupt sleep due to their effects on digestion and caffeine content.
Greasy and fatty foods slow digestion and can lead to discomfort or acid reflux, disrupting sleep, especially for those with GERD.
If you’re having trouble drifting off at night, look no further than what’s on your dinner plate. Research shows that what you eat in the hours leading up to your bedtime can significantly impact the quality of your sleep.[][] That’s because all food contains tons of chemical compounds that affect your body in some way, shape, or form.[]
Eating a high-protein diet that’s rich in amino acids and antioxidants, for example, can help you snooze through the night, research suggests.[] But some foods, like chocolate, citrus fruits, and greasy snacks, can have the opposite effect and cause you to toss and turn.
MDLinx spoke with two dietitians and one sleep doctor to get the lowdown on six foods that are worth skipping a few hours before you hit the hay. Here’s what they said:
Chocolate
A small amount of chocolate shouldn’t prevent you from dozing off, but too much could keep you awake and alert. That’s because chocolate contains caffeine, Liz Weinandy, MPH, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian with The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, tells MDLinx. “For many people, this may not affect sleep much, but for people who metabolize caffeine slower, it can make it harder to fall asleep and more difficult to get into a deep sleep,” Weinandy says.
Greasy and high-fat snacks
Greasy, high-fat foods, such as cheeseburgers and fries, can also get in the way of a good night’s sleep if consumed a few hours before bed. According to Weinandy, it takes a long time (sometimes up to 6 hours!) for your stomach to digest greasy foods. “This delayed emptying of food out of the stomach can disrupt sleep and, worse yet, cause reflux when one lies down to sleep,” she says.
These foods won’t impair everyone’s sleep, says Weinandy, but if you deal with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a digestive disorder in which stomach contents flow back into the esophagus, or have trouble falling asleep, consider saving the fries for lunch.
Cruciferous vegetables
Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, a senior clinical dietitian at UCLA Medical Center and assistant professor at UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health, says that having cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts before winding down may also cause you to toss and turn.
Why? Well, these veggies are rich in fiber and therefore produce a lot of gas for some people.[]A tummy full of hot air won’t lull you to sleep. “The gas buildup can make you feel uncomfortable and affect your ability to get good sleep,” Dr. Hunnes explains.
Spicy foods
Raj Dasgupta, MD, a pulmonary, sleep, internal, and critical care medicine physician and Chief Medical Advisor at Sleepopolis, says that spicy foods contain capsaicin, a chemical compound that activates nerve receptors in your mouth and tricks your brain into thinking your temperature has risen.[][] As a result, your body starts to sweat to let the heat evaporate away, Dr. Dasgupta explains. On top of that, spicy food can give you heartburn. This mix of symptoms isn’t exactly conducive to a good night’s sleep.
According to Dr. Dasgupta, mild spices likely won’t cause any issues, but hot peppers or a healthy serving of chili might keep you up. His tip: Try not to eat spicy foods 3 to 4 hours before you go to sleep. “This allows your body enough time to digest the food and reduces the risk of indigestion or acid reflux that can disrupt your sleep,” he says.
Citrus fruits
Oranges, lemons, and grapefruits, as tasty as they are, are acidic and can therefore trigger acid reflux and heartburn, research shows.[] “This acidity can irritate your throat and stomach, making it uncomfortable to sleep,” Dr. Dasgupta says.
For some people, even a small amount of citrus, such as a glass of orange juice, can cause issues. As a result, it may be easier on your stomach to skip citrus fruits 2 to 3 hours before you plan to wind down, Dr. Dasgupta advises.
Alcohol and coffee
Finally, you want to be mindful of what you drink, too.[] It’s well-known that alcohol can obliterate your rest and prevent you from getting rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, otherwise known as deep sleep, Dr. Hunnes says.[] Dr. Hunnes’s take: “It's important to limit and avoid alcohol within a few hours before bedtime.”
The same goes for coffee and caffeinated tea. Consuming caffeine within 6 hours before bedtime can disrupt your sleep, research shows.[] “It probably seems like a no-brainer, but you wouldn't believe the number of people who tell me they drink coffee before bed and [say] it ‘has no effect on them,’ and then they're exhausted the whole next day,” Dr. Hunnes says. Her advice? Skip the evening cup of Joe for a restful sleep.
What this means for you
For healthcare professionals, educating patients on the impact of diet on sleep quality is crucial, particularly advising them to avoid high-fat, spicy, acidic, and caffeinated foods or beverages close to bedtime to prevent disruptions in sleep and overall health.