In this brief article, we are going to answer the question, “Is it bad to eat sugar before bed?”
Is it bad to eat sugar before bed?
Yes, it is bad to eat sugar before bed. Having a sugary drink or meal or only sugar can interrupt your sleep.
If you consume sugar before bed, it will disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle, making it difficult to fall asleep at night. Several sleep disturbances, including nightmares and snoring, have been linked to sugar consumption. We explain how sugar can disrupt your sleep below.
Perspiring During the Night
An overabundance of insulin, which the body uses to convert sugar into energy, can be brought on by eating a lot of sugar. In turn, this causes a condition known as reactive hypoglycemia, in which your blood sugar suddenly drops. One of the symptoms of this illness is nocturnal sweats.
Fears and Nightmares
Few studies have directly linked sugar consumption to an increase in nightmares and night terrors. Sugary meals including cookies, ice cream, cakes, or chocolate have been linked to nightmares in a recent study. 31% of people in this study reported having nightmares after eating sweets.
Moreover, hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is linked to a greater likelihood of having nightmares or a more terrifying experience. Due to transitory chemical changes in the brain, lucid dreams may occur in those suffering from this illness.
Sleep apnea and snoring
Sometimes snoring is brought on or made worse by consuming processed sugar. When you eat a lot of sugar, your body responds by making more mucus and cytokines. Inflammation caused by cytokines, a type of cell protein, can narrow your airways and make it difficult to breathe.
A high sugar intake before bed might cause snoring and disrupted sleep. High glucose levels are associated with heart disease and diabetes, and sleep apnea is known to exacerbate the symptoms of both.
Sugar is a hunger and craving stimulant.
Maybe your extreme craving for sweets is the result of a diet high in sugar. When you eat sugar, your brain responds by releasing the feel-good hormone dopamine, which activates your brain’s reward system.
The more dopamine your body produces, the more your body desires sugar and the more ravenous you may feel. Having a harder time falling asleep because of your hunger may prompt you to eat junk food in the middle of the night.
Additionally, sugary snacks can trigger terrible stomach aches, making it difficult to go back to sleep after waking up.
Many of us have trouble giving up sugar because we have trouble finding a sustainable replacement. But sometimes the solution is as easy as upping your protein intake or water intake. The following are some of the most effective strategies for avoiding sweets before night.
Incorporate Sleep-Promoting Foods In The Diet
The sugar content of your diet can be reduced by eating foods that help you get to sleep. Protein-rich foods have been shown to lower blood sugar levels and promote sleep. The protein tryptophan is a forerunner to the sleep hormone melatonin, and it is found in lean white meats like turkey and chicken.
Additionally, sweet potatoes and other complex carbohydrates are digested slowly, keeping you full for longer. In addition, they increase the levels of the sleep-inducing chemicals tryptophan and serotonin in the brain.
In addition to these, other sleep-inducing meals include.
- Nuts
- Fatty-fish
- Bananas
- Greens with dark, leafy stalks
- Cherries
- Chickpeas
- Unrefined cereals
- Avoid or severely restrict late-night snacking
Sometimes we just need something sweet, but we know that it won’t do our bodies any good and may even keep us up at night. In order to have a good night’s rest without being woken up too late, it’s advisable to avoid eating junk food just before bed.
Even while eating late at night isn’t ideal, we recommend replacing unhealthy late-night snacks like chips with healthier ones like fruit or almonds.
Drink fewer sugary beverages.
Avoiding sugary drinks, like soda, before night is a good idea, but you should also be aware that some fruit juices and sports drinks contain a lot of sugar too.
You might substitute some decaffeinated herbal tea or a glass of milk for them. Numerous people have discovered that these beverages aid in winding down and preparing for sleep.
Does drinking water help eliminate extra glucose?
More water intake throughout the day can help your body get rid of the glucose that it doesn’t need. Water’s multiple health benefits include its ability to increase overall circulation and decrease hunger while also reducing the desire for sweets.
Every day, you should aim to consume at least 8-ounce glasses of water. We recommend restricting yourself to no more than two glasses before bedtime to reduce the likelihood of having to get up several times during the night to urinate.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we answered the question, “Is it bad to eat sugar before bed?”
