Three ways your eating habits could be affecting your sleep
The average diet is geared at people who are overweight or unhealthy. So if you don’t fall into either of these categories then you don’t need to change your current eating habits, right? Wrong. In actual fact, the food that you put into your body could be affecting you in more ways than you probably realise – including how much sleep you get. With doctors recommending adults get between seven to nine hours shuteye each night, you could start suffering from serious health problems (such as heart disease and depression) if you fall below this quota. Let’s look at three ways your eating habits could be keeping you up at night.
Stimulation
Your body should be ready to rest by the time you climb under the covers. Unfortunately, if you’ve been chowing down on foods high in sugar and caffeine then you may have inadvertently stimulated yourself at a pivotal time in the evening. This could mean that you’re bursting with energy when your head first hits the pillow or that you wake unexpectedly throughout the night.
Digestion
It’s recommended that people eat no later than two hours before going to bed. This is because your body needs time to digest food properly. During this time if you lie down you will increase the likelihood of suffering from heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux. These are the sorts of ailments that can leave you too uncomfortable to nod off.
Skipping meals
Don’t be fooled into thinking that you’re guaranteed a good’s night sleep if you go to bed on an empty stomach. Hunger keeps your brain alert, meaning that you’re unable to wind down or fully relax. Even if you do end up dozing off, it’s likely that you’ll suffer from hunger pangs during the night and have to act on these to make them go away.
Need help?
If you’re worried about your lack of sleep and are unsure about what foods you should or shouldn’t be eating during the day, then you could benefit from one of the diet experts found in our directory. These trained professionals will be able to guide you into a lifestyle that ensures you’re fit, healthy and sleeping well.
