Foods That Keep You Awake: What to Avoid for Better Sleep

You know the feeling, like lying in bed, hoping sleep will just sweep you off and away, but instead, your mind is buzzing, your heart's racing, and sleep slips out of sight further still? Been there. Tossed and turned, wondered if I did something, or ate something, was causing the problem. The truth is, what we eat says a lot about how we sleep, and some of the most common foods and drinks have been notorious for creating sleepless nights.

I remember that night clearly. That night I had a late dinner with friends—nothing too heavy, at least that's what I thought. The hours were going by, and I would lie awake, staring at the ceiling, wondering why sleep had become impossible.

That's when I started to make some connections. From my own late-night struggles, I learned that particular foods and drinks can sneakily keep us awake for hours, almost as if our bodies were trying to tell us something. So, let's dive into the top sleep disruptors that might sneak into your diet.

Breaking Down the Culprits:

1. Caffeine: Everyone knows it's the classic bad guy, but it's sneaky, too. Coffee has loads of it, but teas, sodas, energy drinks, and even chocolate do. What I learned the hard way is that caffeine stays in your body long, long after we think it does—in some cases as long as 6 hours. That's right, that 4 p.m. coffee jolt will probably still be buzzing around inside of you when you're crawling into bed.

2. Alcohol: It appears to be extremely tempting to believe that a nightcap will make us sleep well, but alcohol has a double effect. It would induce you into sleep drowsily but would interrupt your sleep pattern in wee hours of the night. I used to think that a glass of wine would relax me; instead, I woke up in the middle of the night, not able to catch sleep. Alcohol is even surprisingly potent against REM sleep-the deep, restorative stage-.

3. Spicy Food: Now personally, I love a hot dinner just like anybody else, but I quickly learned that spicy food can also heat up my night too. Spicy foods have caused indigestion, heartburn and even raised my body temperature, all of which make it a challenge to find a good sleeping position. As it turns out, anything that gets your digestive system going has the potential to keep you awake.

4. Sugary Deserts: Sugar is innocuous, and we consume some dose of it at bedtime. So, we sleep late tonight and wake up in the middle of the night with our sleep all jumbled up. I turned to cookies or ice cream for a bedtime treat because it would be comforting, but it left me rather than sleepy wired. Sugar causes a jolt of blood glucose levels, giving us a shot of energy that we could pay for at the worst possible time.

5. High-Fat Foods Have you ever had a late-night burger and you woke up all night with your stomach growling? That is your body working overtime to digest it. Heavy, fatty foods cause more discomfort and make the digestion process take much longer, and thus their demand makes you sleep less. I found this way of eating lighter at night easy because my body easily rested in sleep mode.

How to Create a Sleep-Inducing Diet

It took me some time to accept the reality that what I eat can sabotage my sleep. So, what is the solution? I realize now that making a sleep-friendly diet—selecting foods that support relaxation and avoiding those that tend to keep us awake—is the key. Here are a few quick tips:

1. Limit Caffeine After Lunch: Stick to decaf or herbal teas in the afternoons and evenings.

2. Opt for Complex Carbs and Protein for Dinner: Wholesome meals with whole grains and lean proteins will not weigh you down.

3. Smart Snacks: In the case that you have to eat something right before bed, opt for something that has natural sleep-inducing properties, such as a banana or a small bowl of oatmeal.

4. Hydrate Earlier in the Day: Drinking too much water at night will lead to multiple trips to the bathroom in the dead of the night.

However, learning what to avoid before bedtime has been a game-changer for me. Hopefully, it can be one for you too, but if you are a victim of sleepless nights, consider what is on your plate as much as what is in your mind.

Our bodies are constantly giving us clues to make adjustments and rest unstressed. So tonight, let me leave you with this thought: perhaps what's standing between you and a full night's sleep is something much simpler than you ever imagined-a few smart choices on what you consume.