Getting a good night’s sleep every night is one of those things that can be easier said than done. According to the NHS, around one in three Brits will experience sleep issues at some point in their life.
There are a huge range of factors that can contribute to poor sleep and insomnia. Common causes include stress, anxiety, noise, alcohol and shift work.
However, certain medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and an overactive thyroid can also make it more difficult to get the full seven to nine hours we need.
While losing out on a bit of sleep here and there isn’t too much to worry about, if it happens regularly it can start to impact your health. Obesity, diabetes, stroke and high blood pressure have all been linked to poor sleep.
So if we can in any way give ourselves the best chances of sleeping well, we should do it. And experts have revealed our diet could be a good place to start.
Speaking to Huffpost, medical experts and sleep doctors said there are five types of food and drink we should avoid if we want to get a better night’s sleep.
These are:
- Spicy foods
- Pizza
- Burgers
- Milk
- Peppermint.
Spicy foods
If you’re partial to eating something with a bit of a kick for dinner, you might want to reconsider if you’re having trouble getting shut eye.
Dr Abhinav Singh, a board-certified sleep medicine and internal medicine doctor, revealed that spicy food can increase acidity in the stomach and can cause acid reflux making sleep more difficult.
On top of this, spicy foods can also raise your body temperature, making you more uncomfortable in bed.
Pizza
Pizza is a hugely popular meal in the UK but sadly feasting on it before bed might not be a good idea.
Similar to eating spicy foods, the tomato sauce found on pizza can be an acid reflux trigger, according to sleep medicine expert Dr Ruchir Patel.
Your topping of choice could also cause issues. Pepperoni, for example, is high in sodium and saturated fats, which take a long time to digest.
Dr Patel recommended avoiding pizza and other high-sodium foods for up to three hours before going to bed.
Burgers
Similar to pepperoni, burgers are a fatty food that can take the body longer to digest, disrupting sleep.
Dr Singh said this problem can be made even worse if your burger is covered in ketchup, as this can trigger acid reflux.
A plant-based patty could therefore be a safer option before bed.
Milk
Milk is often thought of as a normal bedtime drink, especially for children.
But Dr Patel warned that milk is another product that can trigger acid reflux due to its lactose content.
Again, a plant-based version could be the way to go to avoid this issue.
Peppermint
Peppermint tea or a peppermint sweet could be a tasty way to cleanse the palette but experts advised it can also trigger that unwanted acid reflux.
