Chocolate
For many of us, chocolate is the ultimate comfort treat, but it should be avoided before bed time. Chocolate’s high caffeine and sugar content make it one of the worst snacks to eat before you drift off to sleep. In fact, it’s more likely to keep you awake instead.
Watermelon
One of the amazing benefits of eating watermelon is its ability to help you retain liquids – exactly what you don’t want to do right before bed time. Frequent trips to the bathroom will disturb your sleep, and even the body’s ability to recognise that there is excess water in your system is enough to stop you fully relaxing.
Nuts
The ultimate party snack, nuts are a great source of plant-based protein; however, you should give them a hard pass before bed time. While nuts do have many health benefits, they are a natural source of good energy, something you really want to avoid if you are planning on a quality bit of shut-eye.
Oranges
The super healthy grab and go snack might seem like the perfect palate cleanser before bed, but the high acidity of an orange can leave your gut unhappy during the night. Known to cause indigestion when eaten before bed, it’s not just oranges but all citrus fruits that should be kept strictly to the breakfast or lunch table.
Green tea
A beverage with great health benefits, it turns out the time you consume green tea will factor in to the quality of your sleep. On top of caffeine, green tea contains two other stimulants, called theobromine and theophylline, which can increase heart rate and general feelings of anxiety.
Bacon
Ahh, sweet, sweet bacon. Surely this national favorite won’t ruin your sleep? Think again. Bacon contains stimulating chemical tyramine. Tyramine is known to slow down the digestion process, making it less likely you will comfortably fall asleep. Combine this with the high salt and fat content found in most bacon, and you can see why it’s recommended you avoid it.
Ice cream
A surefire way to ensure you stay up all night long is to enjoy a bowl of ice cream before bed. Not only will the insane amounts of fat and sugar set your gut off, resulting in bloating and gas, some ice creams contain high levels of caffeine, the coffee and chocolate flavors being the most obvious examples.
Coffee
While coffee is a morning delight for many, it can play hide and seek with your sleep if taken late. The caffeine content can mess with your sleep cycle, causing restlessness and low-quality sleep. To ensure a peaceful slumber, consider swapping your coffee for a calming herbal tea or warm milk as the day progresses.
Energy drinks
Energy drinks may help kick-start your day, but their high caffeine and sugar contents could ruin your sleep cycle. So instead of reaching for energy drinks, opt for soothing chamomile tea or fruit-infused water instead to both stay hydrated while improving sleep.
Red meat
There’s a reason why a good steak is often associated with luxury. Red meat can be incredibly satisfying, not just for its taste but also for the hefty punch of protein it packs. However, it’s this same protein load that can make red meat harder for our bodies to digest, potentially affecting the quality of our sleep.
Heavy pasta dishes
Who doesn’t love to indulge in a rich, creamy pasta dish? It’s the kind of comfort food that can make any day feel better. However, these heavy dishes can also lead to a feeling of being overly full and uncomfortable when it’s time to go to bed. Consider opting for a lighter pasta dish made with whole grains and less heavy sauces.
Green smoothies
Green smoothies are great health boosters but they might not be the best pals for your sleep. The sugars from fruits can kick up your energy levels, making it harder to fall asleep. Try to enjoy these smoothies as a morning kick-starter or an afternoon refresher, saving less sugary treats for the evening.
Spicy chips
Late-night cravings for spicy chips could end up in a battle with heartburn and indigestion, making your sleep restless and disturbed. If the nighttime munchies hit, consider sleep-friendly snacks like whole-grain crackers with hummus, a handful of almonds, or a bowl of mixed berries.
Hot sauce
Hot sauce adds an invigorating kick to dishes that tantalize our senses, but when trying to sleep at night it could also bring up uncomfortable acid reflux symptoms. Therefore, to maximize restful sleep it may be wiser to choose milder seasonings before bed.
Energy bars
Energy bars may seem like the perfect quick fix in our busy lives – convenient, portable and offering much-needed energy boost when on-the-go. But the same sugar and stimulating ingredients that give energy bars their quick energy boost may interfere with sleeping well. Try a small handful of unsalted nuts or a banana instead for a snack that’s easier on your sleep.
Pineapple
Pineapple is sweet, tangy, and bursting with tropical flavor. But it’s also quite acidic, and this acidity can sometimes lead to indigestion if you consume it too close to bedtime. At night, it might be worth swapping it for a less acidic fruit like a banana or apple.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are versatile and delicious, offering a vibrant burst of flavor to many dishes. They are also packed with nutrients, making them a great addition to a balanced diet. But they are also high in acidity. To ensure a peaceful sleep, you might want to consider avoiding tomato-based dishes at night and opting for lighter, less acidic options for your dinner.
Excessive water
Though hydration is crucial, drinking excessive water before bed can lead to frequent night-time bathroom visits, interrupting your sleep. Try drinking most of your water earlier in the day to stay hydrated without compromising your sleep.
Fried foods
Fried foods are hard to resist, with their crunchy outside and juicy inside, but they can cause indigestion due to their high-fat content, potentially causing a restless night. Opting for lighter, less greasy dinner options can help ensure a more restful sleep. In addition, these healthier alternatives often offer a wealth of essential nutrients.
Weight loss teas
Teas marketed for energy or weight loss often contain caffeine or other stimulants, which can interrupt your sleep. If you’ve been having trouble winding down at night consider drinking calming, caffeine-free options like chamomile or valerian root tea.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse. It’s packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, making it one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat, but it can also cause gas and bloating in some people. To avoid any discomfort that might disturb your sleep, consider more easily digestible veggies like cucumbers or bell peppers for your evening meal.
Energy-boosting supplements
Energy-boosting supplements can be a godsend when you’re having a long, busy day. They can provide a quick lift when you need it most. But these supplements can also interfere with your sleep if taken too close to bedtime. It’s best to avoid taking these supplements in the evening to let your body wind down naturally.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate might be a delicious after-dinner treat, but it contains stimulants like caffeine and theobromine, which can keep you awake. Try to enjoy your dark chocolate earlier in the day or go for lighter desserts like berries or a yogurt parfait at night.
Garlic
Garlic adds a flavor punch to many dishes, but can also cause indigestion. If consumed too close to bedtime, it could make falling asleep more difficult. Consider using less garlic in your evening meals or include it in your earlier meals to prevent sleep disturbances.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is a citrus fruit that’s loaded with vitamins and other nutrients, making it a great choice for a healthy diet. But it’s also quite acidic, and this acidity can cause discomfort, especially if consumed close to bedtime. If you need a late-night snack, go for less acidic fruits like bananas or apples, or enjoy grapefruit earlier in the day.
Sweetened yogurts
Sweetened yogurts can seem like a healthy option for a dessert or late-night snack, given that they often contain beneficial probiotics. However, they can cause an energy spike due to their high sugar content, making it hard to drift off to sleep. Try opting for plain, unsweetened yogurt with a touch of honey or some berries for a sleep-friendly nighttime snack.
Mustard
Mustard might add a zing to your meals, but its high acidity can cause heartburn. If used in excess during dinner, it could make falling asleep more challenging. Try using milder condiments or reduce the amount of mustard to ensure a better sleep.
Large meals
There’s something inherently satisfying about a large meal. It can make us feel content and relaxed, which can seem like a good thing as we wind down for the night. However, eating a large meal close to bedtime can lead to discomfort and disrupted sleep due to overeating. Try to keep your evening meals smaller and avoid eating just before bed to ensure a peaceful slumber.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is a type of fermented cabbage that’s often praised for its health benefits. It’s a good source of probiotics, fiber, and vitamins, making it a great addition to a balanced diet. However, it can cause gas and bloating, potentially disrupting your sleep. Consider having it earlier in the day or in smaller quantities to keep your sleep undisturbed.
Pepperoni
Pepperoni might be a favorite pizza topping, but its high fat content can cause indigestion, making it difficult to fall asleep. If late-night pizza cravings hit, consider less greasy toppings like fresh vegetables or lean proteins to ensure a better sleep.
Sugary cereals
Sugary cereals can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, giving you a burst of energy that can make it difficult to fall asleep. Try opting for less sweet cereals or a bowl of oatmeal with a touch of honey and some nuts for a more sleep-friendly option.
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a staple in many cuisines, providing a deep, umami flavor to dishes. However, it’s also high in sodium, which can lead to bloating and water retention, which might disrupt your sleep. Try using lower sodium alternatives or reduced amounts of soy sauce in your evening meals.
Fatty meats
Fatty meats, although delicious, pose a challenge for digestion and may trigger heartburn, both of which can impede restful sleep. Opting for lean proteins like chicken, turkey, or fish for your evening meal can be a more sleep-friendly alternative. These lighter choices also provide essential nutrients to maintain overall health without compromising on taste.
Mints
Mints might seem like a harmless way to freshen your breath, but their cooling effect can trigger heartburn in some people, making it harder to fall asleep. If you’re prone to heartburn, consider avoiding mints before bed and brush your teeth instead to freshen your breath.
Lemonade
Lemonade can cause bloating and discomfort when consumed before bed. Stick to still water or herbal teas to stay hydrated without disturbing your sleep. If you enjoy a fizzy beverage, try infused water with bubbles or carbonated water with a splash of natural fruit juice.
Processed soups
Heavily processed soups, especially those with high sodium levels, can cause bloating and disturb your sleep. Go for light, homemade soups with fresh ingredients instead for a soothing evening meal. A bowl of vegetable soup or a hearty minestrone can be warming, comforting, and sleep-friendly.
Grapes
Grapes are packed with natural sugars so if you’re going to snack on them before bed, keep the portions small. A big bowl of fruit can lead to a blood sugar spike, which can also lead to insomnia. On top of that, fruit is acidic, meaning you could also be facing a nasty bout of heartburn while trying to drift off.
Bananas
Bananas are mostly made up of fast-digesting carbs and work as a great energy source when you’re feeling down. But as a bedtime treat? Bad idea. Not unless you enjoy staying up all night. Bananas are best eaten pre or post-workout, paired with other fats and proteins.
Onions
We know. This isn’t what you want to hear. But sorry, you’re going to have to stop eating onions before bed. The humble onion creates gas as it moves through your digestive system, which affects the pressure within your stomach, which can then trigger acid reflux – especially when you’re lying down flat. Raw, grilled, it doesn’t matter. Onions are not supper.
White bread
Bread is an easy and quick snack before bed, whether it takes the form of a sandwich or a plucked-off chunk. But you should avoid it in the wee hours, especially the white kind. White bread is a high glycemic index food, which is fancy talk for food that spikes your blood sugar levels. When trying to fall asleep, this is the last thing you need.
Donuts
These things signal relaxation, don’t they? There is no such thing as a stressed donut. It’s a treat saved for the end of a long day at work. Possibly before bed. No. Not possibly. Donuts have a lot of sugar, which can raise and crash your blood sugar levels in equal devastating measure. Avoid before a spot of shut-eye.
Cauliflower
High in vitamins C and K, and a good source of folate, cauliflower supports cell growth among other things. Fat-free and cholesterol-free, it’s gained popularity as a meat substitute among veggies and vegans in recent years. Its popularity as a sedative remains shocking, however. Steer clear of this farty vegetable before bed.
Celery
Celery stick. What’s not to love? Crunchy, refreshing, healthy. Surely there’s no better bedtime snack for those looking to keep their weight at bay? There is. Celery is a natural diuretic, and can therefore cause frequent urination as they push water through your system. Save the sticks for another time!
Turkey
It’s not the turkey that makes you sleepy on Thanksgiving – it’s the portions you should blame. The protein in turkey signals the brain to produce dopamine, the “motivation molecule”, which gives you a boost of energy. If you’re hungry for meat that’ll help you sleep, try game meat or salmon.
Protein shakes
Protein shakes often contain caffeine to bolster an athlete’s performance so it would be unwise to consume one before bed. Additionally, it would be a waste of protein to drink a shake when you’re not going to undergo any exercise. Find a post-workout shake if you’re desperate to have one in the evening.
Wine
While a glass of wine in the evening can help you de-stress and fall asleep faster, it does prevent your body from a properly-functioning REM (Rapid Eye Movement) cycle, which is where restful sleep and dreaming occur. Research has shown that alcohol can make you more likely to wake up throughout the night and reduce your quality of sleep.
Cabbage
Cabbage has an amazing, wide-spanning nutrient profile which is packed with vitamins C and K. People who eat cabbage have been shown to lower the risk of certain diseases, improve digestion and ease inflammation. They haven’t, however, shown signs of sleeping better. Cabbage is a cruciferous no-no.
Pizza
Nothing hits quite like that post-bar pizza at 3am. But did you know it’s actually doing you more harm than good? The combination of fat in the cheese and the acid in the tomato sauce can have a negative impact on your sleep quality. Unless you want a fierce bout of acid reflux in the middle of the night, pass on the pizza.
Ketchup
It’s not just what you’re dipping that has an effect on your body, but the dip itself. Ketchup isn’t too destructive but it can come between you and a good night’s sleep. Ketchup is usually preserved with chemicals that make it even more acidic than it is to begin with, putting you at risk of heartburn the second your head hits the pillow.
Orange juice
Orange juice is about as refreshing a drink as you can wish to come across… during the day. Drink a cup of this at night and you’re throwing yourself in the deep end of acid reflux. Orange juice, as you can guess from experience, is very acidic and sugary. That’s a lethal combo right before sleepy time.
Sprouts
Brussels sprouts help improve the digestion of both carbs and proteins. It also benefits sleep. Psyche! Sprouts are a member of the cruciferous vegetable family and are pretty fibrous, which makes them harder to digest. They also contain indigestible sugars that cause bloating and gas.
Gum
It might come as a shock to know that some types of gum contain caffeine, in a world where a lot of mainstream gum is sugar and largely additive-free. Chewing on a stick of Trident or Orbit will be fine. The brands you have to look out for are Jolt, Run Gum, MEG, Rev, and Alert.
Kola nut
Over in West Africa, the kola nut is a popular snack. Presumably, nobody in West Africa prioritises or even cares about sleep, because these humble nuts are used to create colas and sodas thanks to their strong caffeine content. Each pod contains around two cups of coffee. Yowzers! Treat these as a morning pick-me-up.
Chocolate spread
Nutella is a huge part of many people’s childhoods. Billed as a hazelnut spread, customers are under no illusions. This stuff is chocolatey as hell, and pairs with bread like few other spreads. Maybe steer clear of Nutella when the sun goes down, however, as the inclusion of cocoa powder means there’s around 3mg of caffeine for a 2-tablespoon serving.
Baked beans
Are you British? Are you British and hungry? Are you British, hungry, and it’s also 9 or 10pm? Cousin, put down the baked beans. It’s not worth it. One cup of regular baked beans contains about 5 teaspoons of sugar and that is 5 too many if you’re desperate for a good night’s sleep. Try and seek out low-sugar beans if possible.
BBQ Sauce
BBQ sauce is something special. No cookout is complete without it. However, 2 tablespoons can contain around 9 grams of sugar. So go easy on the next pot of BBQ sauce you are lucky enough to come across, as the sugar content will do a number on your ability to sleep. Luckily, there are lower-sugar options available to buy.
Granola
Do you really think we’re going to come out here and tell you that granola bars are bad for you? Not quite. Granola is a good fix of protein, fat and fiber. But it’s also a good fix of sugar. 100 grams of granola can actually contain 5–7 teaspoons of sugar. You may as well eat a regular, nicer, candy bar.
Honey
Honey is usually thought of as a less damaging alternative to cane sugar, as it’s harvested naturally from bee hives and contains nutritional value. And that’s true. But fructose is the main sugar found in honey and it’s stronger than sucrose or glucose, which is bound to have you bouncing off the walls.
Cookies
Cookies are plied with sugar to improve their taste and texture, and that’s just the homemade ones. Store-bought cookies contain refined flour, added sweeteners, dry fruits (more sugar), and preservatives. Eating even just a few of them with a glass of milk before bed will have adverse effects on your body.
Bagels
However you take yours, the point remains: bagels are great. But keep them as a morning or lunch option. These delicious baked bread hoops are high in sugar and may contribute to insomnia if you have enough before going to sleep. They’re also high in calories, so you may want to practise moderation generally.
Spicy food
A leading cause of heartburn and indigestion, spicy foods have no place as a late night bite to eat. We’re talking curries, chilli and even your favorite slice of pizza. Spice in our stomachs make things harder to digest, while a full stomach can lead to cramps and will certainly stop you from drifting off peacefully.
Chilli
Chilli is a comfort food favorite, especially in the colder months. A bowl of chilli might be tasty, but its combination of beans, meat, and spices could lead to indigestion and disrupt your sleep. Consider having chilli for lunch and opt for a lighter, more digestible dinner.
Instant oatmeal
Oatmeal has a fine reputation. Full of healthy fiber, it provides a decent energy boost, which is exactly the reason you should avoid having any of it for supper. Fruit-flavored instant oatmeal in particular has a lot of sugar per packet. Keep the oatmeal as plain as possible (yum!) if you can’t finish a day without it.
Coleslaw
A fast food restaurant wouldn’t be complete without a “healthy” side of coleslaw. Good news, you can leave it off your next trip to the drive-thru. This kind of coleslaw is made with almost 4 teaspoons of sugar per serving, which will probably make a bigger dent in your sleeping pattern than a burger or chicken nugget.
Jerky
Jerky doesn’t look like something that would contain sweeteners. It doesn’t taste like something that would contain sweeteners. But alas, some have around 2 teaspoons of added sugar per serving to keep these meat snacks flying off the shelves. Pro tip: go for plain versions over honey mustard or BBQ-flavoured ones.
Crackers
Crackers aren’t really healthy, being both high in calories and sodium, and can contribute to weight gain. They also contain low fiber and protein, boasting very few health benefits. Additionally, these savoury snacks also contain sugar, which may affect your chances of a good night’s rest. Make sure to check the ingredients when buying.
Fried chicken
High fat content, tons of salt and eleven herbs and spices are not the right mix for a peaceful sleep. A heavy, rich food, fried chicken will sit on your stomach all night long and will cause indigestion, cramps and gas. If you share a bed with someone you care about, avoid the family bucket, they’ll thank you in the morning.
Peanut butter
Have you ever made peanut butter from scratch? It’s terrible, isn’t it? Know why? Store-bought peanut butter has added sugar. A spread of two tablespoons worth of peanut butter on your sandwich equals around six grams of sugar alone. Watch out for ingredients like palm sugar, cane syrup or dextrose for added sugar giveaways.
Salad dressing
No one wants to make salad dressing when you can buy a variety of professionally made versions at the store, but it is something you may want to consider. Packaged salad dressings contain around 5 grams of added sugar, on top of other additives and taste enhancers. Combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, herbs, honey and lime juice for your own healthy dressing!
Cheese
The idea that cheese before bed will give you nightmares dates back to 1964, with further studies finding smelly blue cheese can lead to vivid dreams while, apparently, bedtime cheddar cheese consumption can lead to dreaming of celebrities! Celebrity dreaming aside, cheese is high in fats and salt, so should be avoided.
