11/02/2014
Do you lay awake at night staring at the ceiling, counting sheep? Your dinner could be the culprit keeping you up at night. Avoid these foods and head off to dreamland!
1. Celery - Celery and other foods with a high water content may cause you to wake up with a full bladder.
2. Tomatoes - Tomatoes are rich in tyramine, an amino acid that triggers the brain to release norepinephrine, a stimulant that boosts brain activity and delays sleep.
3 & 4. Cheese Pizza and Heavy Meals - Foods high in fat and fried foods take longer to digest and can cause discomfort that interferes with sleep.
5. Alcohol - A glass of wine may help you get to sleep, it disrupts sleep later in the night and robs you of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
6. Black Bean Chili - The body has a hard time digesting beans, so stomach-rumbling gas pains will keep you from a good night’s sleep.
7. Dark Chocolate - Dark chocolate, hot cocoa and tea all contain caffeine, and if you’re caffeine-sensitive, you may find yourself staring at the ceiling instead of snoozing.
8. Candy - Candy may cause your blood sugar levels to spike and then fall rapidly as the body releases insulin to bring them under control.
9. Tacos - Eating tacos and spicy foods within a few hours of lights-out can set you up for a bad case of heartburn and a restless night.
10. Steak - Foods high in protein and marbled fats, such as steak and roast beef, are slow to digest and could lead to a sleepless night.
11. Soft Drinks - Caffeine, that sneak thief of sleep, can turn up in unexpected places, including root beer and lemon-lime soda.
12. Broccoli - Its slow-to-digest fiber will keep your body working hard into the night and could cause painful gas.
