Health Tip: Your Diet and Sleep
If you've noticed that you feel particularly sleepy or more energized after eating certain foods, that's because what you eat can have an impact on how well you sleep and how awake you are during the day.
Here are examples of foods that can affect your sleep, courtesy of the National Sleep Foundation:
* Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as pastas and breads, can make you more sleepy.
* Carbohydrates work well with proteins to induce sleepiness, which makes combinations such as peanut butter on toast, cereal with milk, or cheese and crackers good bedtime snacks.
* A large meal can make you more tired, especially one with a lot of carbohydrates.
* Caffeine in foods and beverages is a stimulant that blocks hormones in the brain that make you feel sleepy.
* While alcohol may help you relax and fall asleep in the short term, over the course of the night it inhibits the sleep process and can prevent you from getting deep, restful sleep.
Health Tip: Is GERD Causing Sleep Problems?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can cause symptoms during the night that can prevent a good night's sleep.
The National Sleep Foundation offers these suggestions to keep GERD symptoms calm at night:
* Be careful of the foods you eat from late afternoon until bedtime. Try to avoid spicy foods, onions and chocolate.
* Eat a larger meal at lunch, and have a small, light dinner.
* Don't eat anything after two or three hours before you plan to go to bed.
* Don't drink alcohol or smoke before bed.
* Sleep on a pillow or two, with your head and shoulders elevated.
* Try sleeping on your left side.
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