Foods To Avoid Before Bedtime

Eating right before bed isn't a great idea if you're hoping for a great night's sleep. Why? Firstly, the food sits on your stomach making it hard to go to sleep and secondly, if you're trying to lose weight the food you consume stores as fat as it isn't required as energy!

But we can appreciate that sometimes it's impossible to turn down a late-night snack… we're only human after all! So if you do need to have those late-night munchies here are the top 5 foods to avoid to ensure a peaceful night's sleep… your waistline will thank you too!

Chocolate is a go-to late-night snack. Unfortunately, this sweet treat contains caffeine, which stimulates your nervous system, keeping you awake.

People tend to go for dark chocolate as it is lower in sugar and has more antioxidants, but it also has a higher amount of caffeine so it's best to save dark chocolate for an afternoon snack.

A cheeseburger every now and then is a great treat meal, but a terrible bedtime snack. The excessive amount of fat can block your blood flow, which makes sleeping much more difficult. The fat also won't be converted to energy, which means it will be stored.

Fresh fruit is fine to have late at night, but dried fruit is high in sugar and fibre, both of which will lead to a night of restless sleep. Fibre can also leave you gassy and bloated, which is the last thing you want before bed.

Chips are another go-to late-night snack. Cracking open a packet in front of the TV may sound great, but recent psychological studies have found that greasy foods like this lead to nightmares (crazy right?!). Avoid chips and avoid the emotionally draining nightmares that accompany them.

Most packaged cereals these days should be placed in the lolly aisle as they are packed full of sugar (don’t believe us, check the sugar content)! Snacking on your favourite cereal can stimulate your nervous system, leaving you alert and awake.