Food and Your Sleep Problems

Pat Dee

The things you put in your mouth will show up on how well you sleep and, as a matter of fact, there is a direct relationship between sleep issues & food. A great many people have a late meal or sandwich out of hand but alas, doing these things can actually be causing you to have wakefulness and even insomnia.

To make certain that you don't have sleep disorders due to your eating habits it would be a good idea to make a list of your favorite foods and beverages which are likely causing you inability to sleep. Of course, the first drink on that list is coffee or other caffeinated produces because these are designed to reduce the feelings of tiredness.

In order to avoid having a caffeinated beverage such as coffee affect your night's sleep you should think about drinking your last cup of the day no later than three in the afternoon. If you are a late afternoon drinker think about drinking tea because at least tea adds some health benefits as in herbal teas which promote overall health and are decaffeinated.

Alcohol can also cause problems with sleep and a relaxing glass of wine before bed may actually be keeping you up. The best way to keep alcohol from effecting your sleep is to limit drinking to pre dinner instead of late night drinks such as nightcaps and beer or wine around dinnertime. To be certain having to use the restroom in the middle of the night doesn't get you out of be avoid beverages and hour and a half before hitting the sac. You will find it amazing how these little changes in routine will affect the way you sleep.

For the most part you want to avoid certain foods that could cause sleep trouble like spicy foods that will warm you and kick in your circulation and can actually remove feelings of tiredness. Some spicy foods can make your digestive system work harder and may give you problems such as heartburn and indigestion. These are two things that can also create issues when attempting to get to sleep so try to avoid spicy foods when you can. Consider eating them for lunch if you can't stay away from them too long. Don't eat at least 3 hours prior to laying down for the night as most folks don't understand that digestion causes the body to become active in both circulation and internal muscles.

Digestion can be the culprit of you not getting a good rest or not being able to get fully into the REM and deep sleep stages that occur during the sleep cycle. Your body may become too involved trying to digest your meal so don't eat anything in the evening before going to bed or you could suffer from sleeplessness. If you know you have a slow digestion process then think about eating your final meal in the early evening to obtain the same effect.