0

Ask a Dietitian: What Foods Should I Avoid Before Bed?

Having trouble sleeping? What you’re eating could be a contributing factor.

Certain foods or dietary habits can make getting to sleep or staying asleep difficult. Whether you're eating too much or eating the wrong types of foods, these things can inhibit your body's ability to relax. Before bed, you want to make sure you're eating healthy foods that your body is able to digest easily, avoiding bloating or discomfort, while also limiting energy-boosting drinks and snacks.

Read on for our top 5 foods to avoid before bed.

Caffeine

As most people know, caffeine can be a contributor to poor sleep due to its stimulatory effects. It’s not just coffee that contains caffeine, however, green and black tea, dark chocolate, energy drinks, and some cough syrups are also sources of caffeine. In fact, even decaf coffee contains some caffeine. Everyone metabolises caffeine at different speeds so sensitivity differs between individuals. Some people may be able to get away with coffee with dinner, while others may need to cut it out from midday! If you’re feeling wired when it comes to bedtime, perhaps consider your caffeine intake for the day.

Alcohol

Another culprit when it comes to sleep quality is alcohol. While it may feel like you fall asleep very easily after drinking, the quality of the sleep is just not the same. We have two sleep phases REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM sleep. Alcohol can block REM sleep, which is our deep, quality sleep. Even if you feel like you’ve slept through the night, you are likely to feel far less rested in the morning, having missed out on the REM sleep. Not only this, but alcohol acts as a diuretic, so your slumber may be interrupted by trips to the bathroom. Lastly, alcohol causes your body to relax, including the muscles of your throat, making you more prone to snoring or sleep apnoea.

High fat or very large portion sizes

Meals high in fat can also affect sleep quality. Whether this is your typically less healthy fats (think fried foods) or your heart-healthy unsaturated fats (avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil), these foods are digested slower, meaning when consumed in excess you may go to bed with food still in your stomach. The acids released to digest this fat can contribute to heartburn or reflux, particularly when lying down. Similarly, if your evening meal is too large, not only will you feel uncomfortable when trying to sleep, but your digestive system will still be working hard to digest the meal when you’re attempting to sleep.

Reflux triggers

If reflux is effecting your sleep, there may be other factors outside of the fat content of your evening meal triggering these symptoms. Other common triggers for reflux are acidic foods- such as citrus and tomatoes, spicy food and for some people, even alcohol, chocolate, and peppermint can contribute to these symptoms. These foods may need to be avoided or minimised before sleep for those experiencing reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

Sugar

Consuming large amounts of sugar pre-bed can also be problematic for sleep. Sugar is broken down in the body and released as energy very quickly. This can result in a hit of energy, just when you are trying to lie down to sleep. So, minimising processed sugar in the evenings can be useful for getting to sleep.

So what should you eat before bed?

Ideally, finish your evening meal 2-3 hours before bedtime. Choose:

  1. A good quality protein source (consider turkey—a good source of the amino acid tryptophan, our melatonin pre-cursor)
  2. A good dose of vegetables (bonus points for our Magnesium-rich leafy greens to help with muscle relaxation)
  3. A serve of heart-healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, nuts/seeds, oily fish)
  4. Some low GI carbohydrates (brown rice, legumes, potato, sweet potato).

And stick to water, herbal tea, or plain milk when it comes to evening beverages!

Explore more content like this in our series, Ask a Dietitian

Health & Performance Collective is the brainchild of Sydney Dietitians Jessica Spendlove and Chloe McLeod. They use their 20 years of combined knowledge and skills as dietitians to work with motivated people to live and perform at their best.

Enjoyed this? Here are 7 foods that help you sleep.

 

Liquid error (templates/article line 123): Error in tag 'section' - 'featured-collection-sheet-set' is not a valid section type

Welcome to Bed Threads

It looks like you’re in Australia. Enjoy…

  • Free shipping Australia-wide
  • Easy returns
  • Plus, subscribe for $15 off your first order

Your Order (0)

Your cart is currently empty.
Not sure where to start?

Most Popular Additions to Your Home

  •  

     
    0 out of 5, from reviews
  •  

     
    0 out of 5, from reviews
  •  

     
    0 out of 5, from reviews
  •  

     
    0 out of 5, from reviews
  •  

     
    0 out of 5, from reviews
  • Gifting has never been easier Perfect if you’re short on time or are unable to deliver your gift yourself. Simply enter your message and select how it is to be delivered:
    Send Now
    Send Later
    On Delivery
    Your message will be automatically delivered to your recipient as per the schedule you have chosen! By sending this gift, you agree to Giftnote's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and agree to receive notifications with gift updates.
    Add your gift message

    Enter who the gift is for

    Enter who the gift is from

    Enter a gift message

    Select at least one option

    Invalid email address

    Invalid phone number

    Select a delivery method

    Your gift message will be sent as soon as you complete your purchase
    Your gift message will be sent at the date and time of your choosing

    Select a date in the future

    Select a time in the future

    Your gift message will be sent when your order is marked as delivered by your courier. Note: Only available for physical products
    By sending this gift, you agree to Giftnote's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and agree to receive notifications with gift updates.
    Gift message summary
    Who is this gift for?
    Loading...
    Who is it from?
    Loading...
    Your message
    Loading...
    Delivery Schedule
    Send Now
    Your gift message will be sent as soon as you complete your purchase
    Send Later
    Your gift message will be sent at the following date and time

    Time
    Loading...
    Date
    Loading...
    Timezone
    Loading...
    On Delivery
    Your gift message will be sent when your order is marked as delivered by your courier

    Remember to enter your recipients shipping address during checkout!
    Delivery Method
    Email & SMS SMS Only Email Only
    Recipient's Phone Number
    Loading...
    Recipient's Email Address
    Loading...
    By sending this gift, you agree to Giftnote's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and agree to receive notifications with gift updates.