10 things to avoid eating or drinking before going to bed

Many of us experience trouble falling asleep or some kind of other sleeping problems (waking up in the middle of the night, waking up too early and not being able to fall asleep again, etc). Sometimes this needs medical advice, but very often we can help ourselves thanks to a special “before bed-time” diet.

The food that we eat before going to bed can influence our sleep, and prevent us from having a good night’s rest. Here are 10 elements which you should avoid eating or drinking before going to bed:

1.    Hot spices: cumin, ginger, paprika, pepper, curry, hot pepper or chili pepper…. These spices make our dishes delicious, but only at lunch, not at dinner. They are extremely difficult to digest and may cause excessive heat and heartburn during the night.

2.    Red meat: its proteins take a lot of time to digest. If you ate a big juicy steak for dinner, you will very likely have trouble falling asleep, or in the worst scenario – a sleepless night.

3.    Pulses: lentils and split peas ferment in your stomach and take time to digest, so it’s better to eat them for lunch.

4.    Aubergine: this vegetable contains a lot of … nicotine! And as nicotine is a stimulant, it’s better to avoid it before going to bed.

5.    Chocolate: especially dark. Four squares of dark chocolate contain 20mg of caffeine. Milk chocolate has a little less caffeine in it, but is still not the best snack to eat at night, unless you want to have a burst of energy.

6.    Fats: sour cream, butter, burgers, chips, sausages… Our body will spend a lot of energy and time digesting these foods, and this will result in trouble falling asleep, sweating and restless sleep.

7.    Sodium glutamate: this flavour enhancer is often used in Asian cuisine, and we can also find it in industrial foods, concentrates, sauces, chips, pastries, etc. Apart from enhancing the taste of food, it also has an energizing effect.

8.    Coffee: a cup of filter coffee contains about 140 mg of caffeine, which is also found in sodas. Too much caffeine can cause trouble falling asleep and make us wake up several times during the night.  So if you can’t live without coffee, opt for a decaf.

9.    Tea: yes, it also contains caffeine, though its quantity depends on the tea: from  190mg in Matcha to  18mg in  Kukicha, with 70mg in Gunpowder (which is used to make mint tea) and 50mg in a black tea teabag. Only red tea, or Rooibos, which is basically not real tea, doesn’t contain caffeine at all.

10.    Alcohol: it should be avoided at night, as it may cause inflammation of digestive system and night sweating. 

I personally adore drinking tea after dinner, but I guess I will have to review my preferences  What about you? Has any of these elements surprise you? Have you got a healthy “before bed-time” diet?