





1 of 6
Ever notice how what you eat seems to affect how you sleep?
Although late dinners are occasionally unavoidable, studies suggest that evening meals and nighttime snacking, regardless of what you munch on, are associated with poorer sleep quality. Some foods, however, may have more of an impact than others. Knowing which foods to avoid before bed could mean the difference between a restful snooze and a night of tossing and turning. Here are five to limit or avoid before bed.
Sources: National Sleep Foundation. The Link Betw... + 13
- National Sleep Foundation. The Link Between Nutrition and Sleep. November 12, 2020.
- Cleveland Clinic. Dark, Milk or White – Which Chocolate Is Best for Your Heart? May 20, 2021.
- Harvard Health Publishing. In the journals: Cocoa reduces inflammation associated with heart disease. February 1, 2010.
- Cleveland Clinic. Dark Chocolate Health Benefits. March 10, 2022.
- Nehlig A. The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2013 Mar;75(3):716-27.
- Sleep Foundation. GERD and Sleep. Updated October 7, 2022.
- Jeff Olsen. Timing snacks to avoid heartburn. Mayo Clinic. November 23, 2017.
- Britton A, Fat LN, Neligan A. The association between alcohol consumption and sleep disorders among older people in the general population. Sci Rep. 2020 Mar 24;10(1):5275.
- Chan JK, Trinder J, et al. The acute effects of alcohol on sleep electroencephalogram power spectra in late adolescence. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2015 Feb;39(2):291-9.
- NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol and Sleep. July 1998.
- Cleveland Clinic. GERD (Chronic Acid Reflux). Last reviewed December 6, 2019.
- St-Onge MP, Roberts A, et al. Fiber and Saturated Fat Are Associated with Sleep Arousals and Slow Wave Sleep. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. January 15, 2016.
- Alahmary SA, Alduhaylib SA, et al. Relationship Between Added Sugar Intake and Sleep Quality Among University Students: A Cross-sectional Study. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2019 Aug 23;16(1):122-129.
- Greer SM, Goldstein AN, Walker MP. The impact of sleep deprivation on food desire in the human brain. Nature Communications. 2013. 4, Article number: 2259.