Is It Bad to Eat Before Bed?

Hey, you’re only human: Indulging in a late-night snack is a temptation that even the most strong-willed among us give in to from time to time. However, it's important to be careful about your close-to-bedtime food choices. While indulging feels great in the moment, certain foods can keep you from getting the sleep you need, whether by triggering a spike in energy levels or causing heartburn that leaves you lying awake. Here are some types of food to avoid before you turn down the lights!

Spicy Foods

Some folks live for that dopamine rush that comes with a few chipfuls of spicy salsa, especially late at night in front of the TV. Unfortunately, spicy foods are common triggers for gastric reflux. This can lead to heartburn, which may severely delay your ability to doze off for the night.

Greasy Foods

Like spicy dishes, greasy foods like fries or onion rings offer a uniquely delicious late-night appeal that many find hard to resist. However, just like spicy foods, these tasty favorites can cause heartburn by increasing your stomach's production of acid. What’s more, the food within that delectable fried coating might amplify this already unpleasant effect; onions, for example, can activate acid reflux even when consumed raw.

Chocolate

A tiny piece of chocolate is usually left on your pillow with turndown services at classy hotels, so eating an entire bar of dark chocolate before crawling into bed is probably a soothing way to end a rough day, right? Think again! Though you're probably aware that chocolate contains caffeine, you might not know that darker chocolate means more of it. Depending on just how dark your chocolate gets, and your sensitivity to caffeine, this indulgence could be a surefire recipe for delayed slumber.

Protein-Rich Meals

If you're eager to enjoy a steak or a pork chop, make sure you do so well before you retire to your bedroom! High-protein foods can be quite difficult to digest, and the added work required of your stomach can take the form of internal discomfort that might prevent you from falling asleep.

Pizza

This go-to snack is tremendously popular late-night fare, as shown by the late hours kept by most pizzerias. It also contains a significant amount of acid in the tomato sauce and fat in the cheese that can not only keep you from securing your beauty sleep, but leave you feeling drained the next day, too.

Cleaning up your nighttime eating habits is a great method to improve your sleep hygiene and get better rest. If you still struggle with getting a restful night’s sleep, it may be time to consider a new mattress. Your mattress selection should be precisely suited to your sleeping style and comfort preferences. If it's not, falling asleep – whether you've indulged in a sleep-thwarting snack or not – will be much harder than it should be. Browse a diverse selection of mattresses to find the option that's sure to have you drifting off peacefully in no time. Sweet dreams!