There Are 6 Foods That Could Be Interfering With Your Beauty Rest

Photo by Alex Block on Unsplash

 

Getting adequate sleep can make or break your day, taking you from a zombie to an opened can of rainbows.

Most importantly as moms, the amount of sleep we get directly affects our parenting abilities (note your patience level with two hours of sleep compared to eight).

But did you know it could be the foods you are incorporating into your daily diet that are to blame for the tossing and turning?

Avoid these six foods in the evening to increase your quality of sleep and give you that beauty rest you so dreadfully need.

 

1. Fatty, fried foods

At the end of a busy day where you can’t remember sitting down even once all you want is a little comfort food.

And what’s more comforting than fried food?

However, it will be to your advantage to skip the French fries and opt for some low-fat yogurt and granola instead to appease those evening cravings.

Yahoo warns “your system will go into overdrive” trying to break down the greasy food, interfering with sound rest.

 

2. Caffeine

This may seem like an obvious one, but it can be tricky.

While some moms struggle to stay awake through dinner without a little cup of joe in the evening, most try to stay clear of their second (or third, or fourth…) cup after morning wanes.

The problem is caffeine can be hidden in other evening routines you hadn’t thought of like your evening tea, or that bag of chocolate chips.

 

3. Adult beverage

Winding down with a glass of wine after a day of endless diapers, laundry, and taking the training wheels off your daughter’s bike for the first time, hits the spot.

But we could be making the next day even tougher by having an adult beverage too close to bedtime.

Psychology Today reports:

“Research indicates that a moderate dose of alcohol up to an hour before bedtime can reduce melatonin production by nearly 20 percent. Alcohol has a direct effect on circadian rhythms, diminishing the ability of the master biological clock to respond to the light cues that keep it in sync.”

Opt for a glass of wine with dinner instead, or wind down with a nice hot cup of caffeine-free tea with milk.

After you drink any alcohol, be sure to follow up with plenty of water to prevent a headache the next morning.

 

4. Meat

Animal meat is “one of the toughest foods for our bodies to digest,” warns Yahoo Lifestyle.

Having your digestive system work overtime while you are trying to rest is nearly impossible.

If you are having a carnivorous dinner, be sure to chew your food well to aid in digestion or try those new meat-free dishes your neighbor has been selling you on to see if it helps increase your quality of sleep.

 

5. Spicy food

If you have experienced heartburn after Kung Pao then you know the idea behind savoring spicy dishes earlier in the day.

Eating spicy food before bedtime can cause indigestion, upset stomach, or acid reflux; none of which make for a restful night.

Go light on the chili pepper on taco Tuesday or save the heavier meal for lunch and go with something lighter like a cranberry and walnut salad for dinner.

 

6. Water

Every adult should aim to get at least eight 8 oz cups of water a day, but we are not always great at doing so.

Maybe you ran errands and forgot your water bottle or spent the day outside with the kids and couldn’t carry an extra cup out, causing you to have a nearly unquenchable thirst in the evening.

But compensating for your eight glasses of water before bedtime can have you jumping up and down throughout the night to empty your bladder, interfering with your much needed rest.

Staying hydrated can be easy with a few daily hacks, as Mommy Underground has previously reported.

Getting enough sleep just isn’t for your puffy eyes and patience, but also is vital for a healthy immune system (which we all need right now!).

Stay clear of these six stealthy sleep snatchers and you will be catching all the zzz’s you need in no time.