If you eat spicy food in the evening, your stomach still has a lot to do at night – difficulties in falling asleep and light sleep are the consequences.
Enjoy another round of Thai food in the evening, order the extra spicy pizza or season it with plenty of chilli – spicy food not only makes you happy, it also causes a lot of work in the stomach.
- The bad news: You cannot sleep well with a full stomach, especially when it is filled with spices.
- Our diet has an essential influence on our sleep quality and sleep duration .
On the one hand, the time and the digestibility of the eaten meal play an important role.
Australian biochemists at the University of Tasmania found that particularly spicy foods such as tabasco or mustard make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.
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That is why spicy food worsens the quality of sleep
Chili, curry, Tabasco and other spices that heat up the heat are now some of our favorite flavors.
There are several reasons for this, which in turn are counterproductive for restful sleep:
- Spicy food heats up the metabolism. The result is that the body releases energy in the form of heat. An internal heat develops, the thermogenesis, which is also noticeable in the form of sweat. So you wake up sweaty in the middle of the night or you don’t even get to sleep
- Because it boosts energy consumption, the stomach has a lot to do with digestion. This means that our body works at night instead of resting. Accordingly, we feel exhausted in the morning
- Eating a lot of spicy food releases happiness hormones, burns more calories and is antibacterial. The side effect is that you drink a lot of water to extinguish the heat. Sleep is interrupted more often at night, as it is necessary to go to the toilet again and again
In order to sleep soundly and wake up refreshed, you don’t have to give up spicy food completely.
Spicy better only at noon
Hot spices should be left out in the evening hours so that the digestive tract is not stimulated.
The general rule is not to eat anything sharp at least 5 hours before going to bed . This gives your body enough time to digest what is consumed.
In order for the body to take full advantage of a healthy diet, it is best to enjoy your spicy and spicy meal for lunch.
Foods that keep you awake
In addition to spicy food, other dishes in the evening can also be to blame for sleep disorders.
These meals should rather not be consumed in the evening hours:
- Clearly: Coffee cheers you up, but it also works differently for everyone. Still, it is one of those products that shouldn’t be drunk a few hours before bed because of its high caffeine content
- Red meat takes a long time to be digested by the stomach. As with spicy food, the body cannot calm down. Meat also contains the amino acid tyrosine, which has a stimulating effect
- Fried food should be omitted entirely in the evening. It lets digestion work at full speed
- Cheese contains so-called exorphins which, through a chemical process, cause endorphins to be released in the body. The happiness hormones can make it difficult to fall asleep or cause a restless night
- Alcohol makes you fall asleep faster, but the body does not recover because deep and restful sleep is not possible.
Sleep better with the right foods
Either way, you can’t sleep well with a full stomach.
If you still get hungry in the evening and want to eat or drink a little something, there are some foods that have a positive effect on restful sleep:
- With a tea you not only protect your body, but you can also ensure inner balance and a comfortable bed rest.
- The effect of some medicinal plants has been used effectively for thousands of years and has now also been scientifically proven.
- Herbs that promote sleep include valerian, lemon balm, hops, St. John’s wort, lavender and passion flower
Tip: You can find more information about sleep teas here . Of course, there are other foods that prevent sleep deprivation :
- A glass of milk with honey will calm you down and prepare you for a pleasant night. Tensions in the muscles are relieved and calm begins
- Bananas increase the body’s own serotonin levels. This in turn makes it easier to fall asleep and improves your shift quality.
On this page you will find even more tips for better sleep and more well-being. From the right furnishing of your bedroom to help with common sleeping problems .
I created Sleep Knowledge to share my interests and experiences on healthy sleeping with others. On this page I am therefore dealing with interesting questions about the optimal night’s sleep & everything else that goes with it.