Many people often suffer from insomnia and vivid dreams at night, which not only affects the quality of sleep but also impairs normal work and daily life due to daytime fatigue. Many people try to improve their insomnia symptoms through dietary adjustments, but it is important to be aware of certain dietary principles. There are certain foods that should be avoided before bedtime. Let's take a look at five foods that should not be consumed before going to bed.
Coffee
The caffeine in coffee is a central nervous system stimulant. Drinking coffee at night stimulates the nervous system, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure, reduced secretion of melatonin, and exacerbation of insomnia symptoms. Melatonin is a hormone that promotes sleep, so a decrease in its secretion makes it even harder to fall asleep.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds contain an amino acid called cucurbitacin, which stimulates the central nervous system and causes heightened mental alertness, affecting sleep. Eating too many pumpkin seeds at night can also contribute to insomnia.
Potatoes
Eating potatoes can easily cause bloating, which can be very uncomfortable and disrupt sleep if consumed in large quantities at night. Therefore, it is best to avoid eating these types of foods before bedtime. Other foods that may cause bloating, in addition to potatoes, include legumes, onions, cauliflower, bell peppers, eggplants, corn, taro, citrus fruits, and bread.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate contains not only a high amount of calories but also a significant amount of caffeine. A piece of dark chocolate weighing approximately 44 grams contains about 12 milligrams of caffeine, which is equivalent to the amount of caffeine in 10 grams of regular coffee. Dark chocolate also contains a large amount of theobromine, which is a common factor in causing insomnia.
Alcohol
No matter what kind of alcohol is consumed, it does have a sedative effect initially. However, as alcohol slowly evaporates from the body over a few hours, its sedative effect diminishes and can actually stimulate the nervous system, leading to autonomic nervous system disorders and making it even harder to fall asleep.
