Six surprising foods that are messing up your sleep

YOU know having an espresso after 4pm will hinder sleep, but what about these nutritious foods that could also be to blame for your tossing and turning?

YOU KNOW that having a double-shot latte after 4pm or ploughing through too much sugary dessert will keep you from snagging a solid eight hours of z’s.

What you probably don’t realise is the number of nutritious foods — ones that doctors and dietitians agree are part of a healthy, varied diet — that could be to blame if you’re tossing and turning at night.

The kicker is that getting a good night’s sleep is crucial to sticking to healthy eating habits.

One recent study found a consistent sleep routine may help people maintain a healthier weight; other research found a lack of sleep could lead people to buy more food and more high-calorie items at the supermarket. Which, of course, keeps us up at night. And the vicious cycle continues.

To be sure good-for-you grub isn’t actually sabotaging your shut-eye, steer clear of these foods before bedtime:

1. Cruciferous veggies

Broccoli may be affecting your sleep.

Sounds absolutely crazy, right? Veggies like broccoli and cauliflower are loaded with phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals proven to help the body’s natural detoxification process and even prevent cancer (try making bread out of broccoli). What’s more, they even contain tryptophan — the sleep-inducing amino acid that helps the body produce serotonin, which regulates sleep. However, crucifers are also loaded with insoluble fibre, which is the slow-digesting kind, said Elissa Goodman, a certified holistic nutritionist in Los Angeles.

“If you eat a lot of insolublefibre close to bedtime, your body will still be working on digesting it while you’re trying to drift off, which can prevent you from getting optimal sleep,” she said. Of course, you should still eat these health-promoting vegetables — just have them at least a few hours before bedtime, Goodman said.

2. Tomato sauce

Is this the reason you’re tossing and turning?

It’s packed with vitamin C, iron, and lycopene, an antioxidant that’s been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and macular degeneration. However, it’s also highly acidic, which can lead to heartburn and indigestion during the night, said Alissa Rumsey, RD, a dietitian and spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. To prevent sleep issues, skip the late-night pizza or pasta and be sure you finish meals that involve tomato sauce at least three hours before you hit the hay, Rumsey said.

3. Dark chocolate

Are you someone who has a bit of dark chocolate after dinner?

Chocoholics have been rejoicing lately, thanks to a slew of studies that show big benefits of noshing on this antioxidant-packed treat. However, while a square or two of dark chocolate might be a healthy way to satisfy your after-dinner dessert craving, it’s not going to do anything to help you get sound sleep, thanks to its caffeine. In fact, some dark chocolate contains as much as a quarter of the amount of caffeine found in a standard cup of coffee, Rumsey said. And the darker the chocolate, the more caffeine it likely contains.

“Dark chocolate also contains tyrosine, an amino acid that can be very stimulating,” Rumsey said.

4. Charcuterie

Preserved meats may not be a good idea in the evening.

Cured meats and aged cheeses may make a beautiful party platter, but snacking on these foods might keep you up, Rumsey said.

“Aged cheeses and preserved and smoked meats contain tyramine, an amino acid that triggers the release of norepinephrine, a stimulant that makes us feel more alert,” she said.

5. Red meat

Red meat can reduce the quality of your sleep.

While it’s filled with protein and can be lean — particularly if you’re choosing clean, grass-fed options — red meat is still on the fatty side, which take your body a while to digest. Translation: If you have steak or a cheeseburger for dinner, you could very well still be digesting that meal when you’re trying to drift off, which can keep you awake, said Beth Warren, RD, author of Living Real Life with Real Food. High-protein diets have also been linked to sleep apnoea, she said, a condition that prompts you to stop breathing for bouts of time throughout the night, which can reduce the quality of your sleep.

6. Spicy foods

Spicy foods may be a better lunchtime option ...

Thanks to their metabolism-boosting benefits, spicy foods are often touted as especially beneficial if you’re trying to drop a few pounds. (Plus, they’re one of five foods you can’t overeat.) However, meals that bring the “heat” can also prompt you to have a restless night, thanks to the fact that they raise core body temperature, which can negatively impact your sleep. Spicy foods can also lead to heartburn, said Natalie Stephens, RD, a dietitian at The Ohio State Wexner Medical Centre, which can make you so uncomfortable that it’s tough to drift off and stay asleep.

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Originally published as Six surprising foods that are messing up your sleep