Sleep is one of the most important functions of the day, as it lets your body and mind relax and recover from a tiring day's work. An average human spends one-third of his or her life sleeping and while some may consider that to be a lot, believe it or not, it's vital for our very existence. When you work out in the gym, you break down your muscles thereby causing microscopic tears in them. It's only when you sleep that your body starts building them, thus making you stronger than your last workout session. Therefore, your sleeping patterns can directly affect your performance not just in the gym, but can negatively affect your performance whilst at work as well. In today's blog, we'll take a look at 5 foods that you should avoid consuming before going to bed.
Caffeine-based foods:
Throughout the day, we consume a lot of caffeine through tea, coffee, chocolates, and energy drinks. And while caffeine has proven to be an incredible pre-workout supplement. But consuming these foods before bed can prove to be detrimental, as they end up keeping you up till late night and therefore feeling tired and fatigued the following day due to lack of sleep.
Sugary foods:
Sugar is one of the worst things that you can feed your body and we've done a detailed blog on how your body reacts when you give up sugar. You can read that detailed blog by clicking here. Sugary foods are known to provide an instant burst of energy and when consumed at night, they can keep you feeling active and alert all night; not the best way to get a good night's sleep. Since sugar also causes an insulin response, you, in all likelihood, will end up keeping you energy levels high, even when you don’t need them.
High water-content foods:
While it's perfectly okay and in fact healthy to consume foods with high water content during the day, consuming them at night can affect your sleeping patterns. Consuming lots of water at night can result in frequent visits to the toilet, thus disrupting your sleep patterns. Foods such as watermelon, cucumber oranges, etc should be avoided before going to bed.
Acidic foods:
Acidic foods are known to cause acid reflux and this will result in disturbed sleep and indigestion. Acid reflux can cause mild to severe burning in the chest and in extreme cases, individuals are known to have puked bile juices as well. Foods such as raw onions, whine, and tomato sauce can lead to heartburn.
A heavy dinner:
A heavy dinner is one of the biggest enemies of a good night's sleep, as it can put enormous strain on your digestive system and can leave you feeling heavy. Many a time, these foods can lead to indigestion and can leave you feeling bloated and gassy, leading to restlessness and disturbed sleep. You should, instead, focus on having a moderate-sized meal for dinner and try to complete your dinner at least 2-3 hours.
Medical practitioners recommend at least 8 hours of sound and undisturbed sleep every night and if you're unable to meet this requirement, then you need to reassess your routine and take a good look at making
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