20 February 2024 , 17:35
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Going to bed hungry can make you feel rubbish, and it can also mean you struggle to get to sleep.
And while there are some snacks that can be eaten just before bed, sleep experts have warned there's one you should avoid at all costs, because while you may think it makes you sleepy, it can actually impede your night of rest.
Many people turn to cereal with lashings of milk as a late-evening snack to avoid hunger pangs from keeping them up, but according to Ashley Hainsworth from Bed Kingdom, eating the wrong type of cereal will make your sleep worse.
He said: "Going to bed hungry can be detrimental to our chances of a well-earned rest, so a bowl of cereal is a popular choice as a light snack for many people. However, we should be paying close attention to what exactly is in the cereal, as choosing unwisely can have the opposite effect and keep us up."
If the sugar content in the cereal is high, your sleep quality may be worse, which is something to consider when choosing a snack. "Cereals high in sugar give us energy, stimulate the brain and can increase restlessness so should be avoided before bed if possible", Ashley said.
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As an alternative, he recommended eating "natural yoghurt or a handful of nuts" instead, as it will curb any hunger pangs, without giving an unnecessary boost of energy. Consuming a large amount of sugar leads to a rise in insulin and blood sugar levels, causing a spike in energy followed by a crash, reports Wales Online.
And if you're looking for things that can potentially aid sleep, chamomile tea could be a good choice. Kiwis are also a good choice, and they're healthy too.
Ashley added: "Stimulating substances such as caffeine and alcohol should be avoided at night time if you want to have a good sleep. Spicy foods are notorious for causing heartburn, which can be uncomfortable and keep us awake. And refined foods and grains such as white bread, a popular choice for late evening toast, can also raise blood sugar levels before bed."