Did you know that consuming food or drinks too close to bedtime can negatively impact our sleep? This is important because sleep is critical for our general health and wellbeing. Specifically, good quality sleep in the right amount helps regulate mood, emotions, weight, and lowers risk of chronic disease.
Here are some ways eating too close to bedtime can affect us:
First, snacking, eating, or drinking within 30 minutes of laying flat, often leads to heartburn also known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Foods that are acidic, spicy, caffeinated, etc, tend to make this acid reflux or heartburn worse. A high amount of liquid consumed can also trigger this sensation. Aside from being unpleasant, this is a common condition that can lead to more serious health problems.
Next, consuming a high volume of liquid or too many beverages close to bedtime may cause us to wake up mid-sleep to pee. Even if we are able to fall back asleep fairly quickly, this disruption worsens our sleep quality.
Third, lacking a wind down routine that relaxes us and prepares us for bedtime can make it harder for us to fall and even stay asleep. Especially if we eat spicy or stimulating food right before bed.
So how do we prevent these behaviours from interfering with our sleep?
A good rule of thumb is to not eat or drink anything at least 2-3 hours before your bedtime.
A practical way to start helping yourself with this is to figure out how close you eat to your bedtime currently, and scale back by 15-30 minutes every few days to weeks. This approach makes it easier to get used to and stick to your new healthy routine.
You could also consider taking short walks after your last meal of the day or dinner, which would aid digestion, regulate blood sugar, improve bowel movements, and even help you wind down for the night.
Be careful not to exercise too vigorously after eating, as intense exercise may be too stimulating, ironically making it harder to fall asleep!
As with all behaviour changes, start slow and stay consistent. You can do this. Before you know it, you will be enjoying the benefits of a good night’s rest and better health!