Nighttime Snacks That Won’t Upset Your Stomach or Disrupt Your Sleep
A late snack is not the best option, but sometimes you just need to eat. Whether you need to work late, get up early, or just grab a late night snack, these foods will satisfy your hunger without indigestion ruining your sleep.
Why you can’t go to bed hungry
It can be tempting to skip food entirely before bed and just wait for breakfast when you wake up. The point is, hunger suppression will actually help you sleep better. Sleep Medicine Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) explains :
Snacking before bed can help stabilize your blood sugar levels, especially if you are having an early dinner or are having a very active day. This is important because low blood sugar can keep you awake at night and also make it difficult to wake up feeling awake the next morning. Your body needs energy even to sleep …
If you don’t eat anything before bed in the hope of avoiding indigestion, you will not only get hungry, but you will still not fall asleep. Be sure to try a snack, but make sure it’s the right type of snack.
Foods Ideal for Late Bites
The key to late bites is choosing the right foods and controlling your portions. According to UPMC Sleep Medicine Center, there are a few general rules of thumb you can follow when choosing your ideal bedtime meal:
- Stick to foods that are low in protein and healthy fats.
- Keep your portions small and try not to exceed 200 calories.
Anything beyond that can make your gastrointestinal system work harder than it needs to while you try to sleep. You need to make sure that your stomach digests food as easily as possible so that it satisfies hunger and is digested without problems. Which products fit this range? Here are some of the best options:
- Low Fat Yogurt : Erin Coleman, a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, suggests low fat yogurt because it contains dietary protein, probiotics, and other beneficial nutrients. Protein makes you feel fuller for longer, and is just the right size to keep you hungry until morning. Just stay away from really sweet things.
- White Meat : Joel Marion, a Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN), recommends bringing a piece of chicken or turkey with you. White meat digests slowly, has very low insulin secretion, and contains glucagon, which helps the body later break down stored carbohydrates and fat for energy. Red meat is not recommended.
- Curd : Marion also recommends a small bowl of curd because it digests very slowly and contains a little protein for filling. As with low-fat yogurt, keep the curd simple and sugar-free, perhaps save a few berries if desired.
- Whole Grain Crackers : The Women’s Health Institute at Harvard Medical School suggests that a few whole wheat crackers are enough to keep you satiated before breakfast. Don’t swallow the entire box, but a few crackers and slices of cheese or an apple are more than enough to get you to sleep without irritating your tummy.
- Vegetables : According to Karen Borsari of the Daily Burn , raw vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, and broccoli are filling, low in calories, and contain complex carbohydrates. The slow breakdown of these complex carbs will keep you full until the morning and make you feel full enough to sleep. If you need to dip into vegetables, go for non-spicy hummus. Hummus contains vitamin B6, which is essential for the production of melatonin.
- BRAT food : BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast . These foods are considered the safest to eat after food poisoning because they are easy to digest. This also makes them ideal to eat right before bed. Bananas can also help you sleep because they are rich in potassium and magnesium, nutrients that also serve as natural muscle relaxants.
The bonus of these snacks is that they are quite healthy too, so you probably won’t spoil your diet in the process. Stick to these foods and you will fall asleep and, more importantly, continue to sleep.
Foods to avoid before bed
If you eat before bed, some foods will seriously harm you. Indigestion, heartburn, and even acid reflux are all side effects of eating poorly late at night, so it’s important to avoid certain foods. The UPMC Sleep Medicine Center recommends avoiding the following foods:
- Treats high in sugar and carbohydrates, such as biscuits or ice cream.
- Fatty, fatty and heavy foods
- Large meals that make the digestive system work longer and harder
This means avoiding things like candy and fried foods altogether. You should also avoid spicy foods that can cause too much acid in your stomach. Finally, the Harvard Women’s Health Watch at Harvard Medical School recommends avoiding caffeine and alcohol:
If you do have a snack before bed, wine and chocolate should not be included. Chocolate contains caffeine, which is a stimulant. Surprisingly, alcohol has a similar effect. “People think they are a little drowsy, but it is actually a stimulant that disrupts sleep at night,” says Dr. Carlson.
Avoid these foods, stick to the simple snacks listed above, and you’ll make your stomach happy enough to head to the city of sleep.