Can Your Diet Affect Your Sleep?
If you spend your nights tossing and turning, or spend your days feeling sluggish and groggy, you are probably not getting enough sleep at night. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body and brain struggle throughout the day. While you may know that several factors, such as insomnia, depression, and stress, can disturb your sleep, you probably don’t think about how your diet affects your rest. Here is a look at some diet choices that can rob you of a good night’s sleep:
Eating too late at night:
If you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux, you should avoid eating meals late at night; going to sleep before your food is completely digested encourages acids and gastric juices to flow up into the esophagus. This can make sleep extremely difficult and cause for an unpleasant night. On the other hand, going to bed with an empty stomach can also make falling asleep difficult. To avoid going to bed hungry, have a light snack about an hour before you go to sleep.
Eating fatty meals:
High-fat meals can lead to indigestion and heartburn, which can prevent you from attaining pleasant, deep sleep. Try to stay away from fatty meals before bed so that you can wake up the next morning feeling energized and rested.
Drinking alcohol or caffeine:
While a little bit of alcohol can help you fall asleep, it can also impair your REM cycle, which is when your body restores itself. Drinking alcohol frequently can leave you tired and dehydrated, so try to limit your alcohol consumption if you want to get a good night’s rest. Also, avoid caffeine in the afternoon and the evening, as caffeine can prevent you from falling asleep.
If you believe that you have some sort of a sleeping problem that prevents you from getting adequate sleep, contact Comfort Sleep to participate in a sleep study. For more information about our studies and treatment options, call us at (732) 455-3030 today!
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