Sleep villains: 5 foods you should not consume at night

Sleep is essential for quality of life, but there are a number of factors that interfere with this time of rest; including food. With that in mind, we've listed some foods that disrupt sleep and that you should avoid eating at night, as well as foods that can make you sleep better.

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Foods that interfere with sleep quality

• Alcoholic beverages

Some people consume alcoholic beverages to relax and sleep better, however, alcoholic beverages they disturb the deepest state of sleep, the one that really gives us the feeling of restoration and rest. Therefore, have moderation in alcohol consumption at any time and especially at night.

• Coffee

Coffee is rich in caffeine, a substance that acts as a central nervous system stimulant and makes us more “alert”. It's no wonder that many people drink several cups of coffee throughout the day to better concentrate on their activities, isn't it? So, avoid coffee during the night and the chances of you having insomnia will be much lower.

• Pepper

Spicy foods can cause reflux (heartburn) and consequently discomfort. Thinking about it, avoid the consumption of spicy foods at night, especially in the two hours before bedtime.

• Red meat

You should avoid eating red meat at night because this type of meat takes a long time to digest due to the high protein and fat content, so when consuming this food you may suffer from abdominal discomfort and not be able to to sleep.

• Fried food

Like red meat, fried foods are high in fat, which, in turn, takes a long time for the body to digest. In addition, fried foods can also cause reflux and disrupt sleep due to the burning sensation.

Practice sleep hygiene

Have you ever heard of sleep hygiene? Know that this is a set of actions to avoid insomnia and promote a good night's rest. From there, you can establish a nighttime routine to sleep better.

In this sense, you should only go to bed when you are already sleepy, without your cell phone nearby so as not to be distracted, and, in addition, you should give preference to some foods during the night.

Foods that promote sleep

• Chamomile tea;
• Chickpea;
• Banana;
• Grape;
• Oat;
• Egg.