We all know by now that eating cheese before bed is often a surefire way to have bad dreams. But it turns out that’s not the only nightmare-inducing food on the block.
In fact, if you’re partial to a sweet treat in those later hours of the evening, you could still be at risk of disturbing and distressing dreams.
In a study focused on which foods and diets instigate bizarre and disturbing dreams, researchers found that eating chocolate, cake or cookies before bed can also have an affect on how we dream.
The foods that we shouldn’t eat before bed
The bad news doesn’t stop at sweet and sugary foods, though. If you have a soft spot for starchy or spicy foods, these could also be causing havoc with how you sleep due to their nutritious composition and the way that the body digests them.
Foods that the body struggles to digest efficiently are the ones that are most likely to interfere with your dreams. This means that greasy food, which is the hardest food for the body to digest, is more likely to have you waking through the night, as well as all types of meat.
According to Dr Charles Bae, a sleep medicine doctor at the Cleveland Clinic, eating anything too close to bedtime can trigger more dreams because late night snacks increase the body’s metabolism and temperature, leading to more brain activity which prompts more action during sleep.
Additionally, the NHS Every Mind Matters campaign recommends that we ditch caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the two hours before we go to bed as these are stimulants and therefore more likely to interfere with how we rest.
What to eat or drink before bed
For those who get a little peckish before bedtime, the good news is there are foods and drinks that are safe and even recommended before you hit the hay.
The Sleep Foundation recommends that nighttime snackers stick to:
- Protein smoothies – according to the foundation, these are especially helpful for athletes as they can help with muscle repair while you sleep.
- Porridge – warm or cold, porridge can help prepare your body for sleep and keep you full overnight. Porridge also contains magnesium and melatonin – the sleep hormone!
- Fruit – pineapple, oranges, and bananas can help produce melatonin production.
- Unsalted nuts and seeds – pistachios are especially effective as they contain the highest amount of melatonin in the nut family and tryptophan which helps to improve sleep by helping to make melatonin and serotonin. Pumpkin seeds also contain high volumes of tryptophan.
Happy sleeping!