Should you eat late at night? This topic has sparked much debate in the nutrition and health and fitness communities. The commonly consumed snacks are oatmeal, fruits, nuts, yogurts, protein smoothies.
You may find yourself eating a snack shortly before going to bed or during the night; this is a “sleep snack” or “bedtime snack.” Therefore, it is essential to know about the dos and don’ts of bedtime munching.
The Dos
Cereal with Low-Fat Milk and Minimal Sugar
Combine a bowl of low-sugar cereal with low-fat milk for a one-two punch. A bowl of low-fat milk and a bowl of low-sugar cereal will feed your body with high-fiber carbs to keep you full, while low-fat milk will provide the amino acid tryptophan.
According to research, eating a high-fiber diet can help reduce the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Examine the nutrition labels on your cereals and compare brands to get the healthiest option.
- Almonds and Walnuts
A modest handful of nuts will ease your hunger and satisfy your cravings while also lulling you to sleep. This is Because nuts like walnuts and almonds contain natural melatonin, protein, and magnesium, they are a good source of these nutrients.
According to a previous study, magnesium may help elderly persons sleep better. For example, nearly half of all older persons have insomnia, such as difficulties falling asleep, waking up early, or feeling unrefreshed.
Just make sure the nuts are low in sodium or have none, as salt might disturb the sleeping cycle. Stick to a 1 oz serving size to keep calories and fat. If you prefer walnuts over almonds, one ounce is about 14 walnut halves.
- Yogurt
Melatonin, found in dairy foods like yogurt, enhances sleep efficiency and minimizes the number of awakenings. Yogurt is rich in calcium (272 mg per cup of nonfat Greek yogurt), a bone-building mineral that also plays a role in processing hormones that help you slumber.
Because not all yogurts have the same sleep benefits, you must choose wisely when eating yogurt as a bedtime snack. High-sugar varieties should be avoided since they disrupt blood sugar levels, generating a spike that may cancel out the tryptophan in the yogurt. Instead, you should look for naturally low-sugar choices or buy plain yogurt and pair it with naturally sweetened items like fruit.
The Don’ts
- Wheat
If you want to stay healthy, eliminating wheat is the best place to start. But, as you may be aware, obtaining a good night’s sleep is critical for keeping fit.
Processed wheat flour is terrible for your health since it creates inflammation and increases mucus production, further restricting your nasal channel and causing snoring.
Snoring at night can harm the quality of your sleep. This can also cause severe relationship issues if it keeps your partner awake.
- Chocolate
Chocolate has high sugar content. Eating a high sugar snack at night will make you feel drowsy and fall asleep sooner, but you will also have poor sleep quality and more midnight awakenings.
The high sugar content can result in diabetes and, in turn, cause sleep apnea. Therefore, it would be best to consult a sleep apnea snoring dentist to get proper treatment. Dentists would advise you to avoid conventional sugary snacks to improve tooth health.
- Caffeine
Caffeinated drinks, such as soda, coffee, tea, and energy drinks, have been demonstrated to harm adults’ and children’s moods and slumber.
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, which can cause a rush of energy. Drinking caffeine in the morning is essential, but it can cause more harm than good when consumed at night. It would be best if you avoided caffeine intake too close to bedtime.
With sleep being an essential aspect in maintaining a good health status, you should consider healthy bedtime snacks that not only satisfy that craving for something tasty but can work in your favor when it comes to getting good sleep. But, on the other hand, you should avoid consuming bedtime snacks deemed “total sleep killers” and therefore harmful to your health.
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