Cheese
Sure, dairy contains tryptophan, which serves as a precursor for the sleep-inducing hormone serotonin, but study participants who consumed dairy products (like cheese!) before bed were more likely to report unsavory dreams. Sounds like a great reason to ditch the caloric late night pizza if you ask us.
Hot Sauce
According to the study, students who ate spicy foods before bed had a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. They also reported having stressful dreams. The reason: Spicy foods alter the body’s temperature, which according to the study, alters dream formations during the REM (rapid eye motion) stage of sleep. That doesn’t mean you have to totally ditch the hot sauce and spicy grub, though. Just cut yourself off six hours before you turn in for the night—and be sure to stick to one the Eat This!-approved bottles from our special report,
Booze
The only thing scarier than a killer hangover? The dreams you have the night after you’ve had a few. Not only can consuming alcohol before bed makes it more difficult to fall into a deep sleep, participants in the study reported nightmares and stressful dreams after knocking back a few.
Cookies & Cake
Get this: In the study, 31 percent of all reported “bizarre dreams” occurred after participants had eaten sugary foods like cookies and cake. While sweet treats may be tempting before bed, you’re better off giving into your cravings with one of these.
Chocolate
After dairy products, sweets and chocolate were the second most frequently mentioned category of dream-influencing foods, with reports of “bizarre” and “disturbing” dreams being the most common. "Remember that chocolate is high in caffeine (which has been shown to decrease your ability to fall into a deep sleep) and has sugar, so this may not be the best bet before bed,” Lauren Kelly, MS, RD, CDN of Kelly Wellness in New York City tells us. Even if you’re eating the healthy dark variety, Kelly advises enjoying it as an early afternoon snack instead of a post-dinner dessert. If you have to have some chocolaty goodness after your evening meal, cut your portion size back to see if that helps.
Chips
Just because chips don’t have sugar or caffeine doesn’t mean they’re a good before-bed snack. About 12.5 percent of all disturbing dreams in the study were caused by the consumption of “greasy junk food” like chips. That’s not the only reason to stay away either. The grease can do a number on your digestive tract, making it hard for you to stay in a restful sleep. Switch to a lighter healthy chip or nibble on something else that’s crunchy.
Hot Cocoa
We already told you that both the white granular stuff and dairy could bring out the monsters in the closet, so it should come as no surprise that the mix of sugar and milk in hot cocoa can bring you bad dreams. If you crave a soothing warm drink before bed, opt for warm water with lemon or a caffeine-free detox tea. The calming valerian and hop varieties are two of our favorites—just don’t forget to hold the milk.
Pasta & Bread
Participants in the study who had pasta or bread before bed reported having upsetting dreams, which is no surprise considering sugar consumption was shown to have the same effect. It’s a little-known fact, but carbs actually convert to glucose (a form of sugar) in the body. That said, try to eat your carbs earlier in the day so your body has time to process them before you settle in for sleep. Other carb-slashing options: ditch the top bun on your burger and swap your noodles.
Fries & Chicken Nuggets
Some study participants who had greasy foods before bed reported having nightmares. With that in mind, we suggest choosing baked foods over fried whenever possible. Love fries? Make a healthier version by cutting a potato into wedges, tossing them on a baking sheet, and coating them with a touch of olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and ground pepper. Bake for 45 minutes at 450 degrees. If the spud’s carb content still winds up giving you nightmares, try dialing back the serving size. For a healthier way to make a batch of nuggets.
Though they’re often regarded as the better choice, many bottled juices are just as bad as a can of Coke or Pepsi. “Many people think of [juice] as a healthy option, when really it can have even more sugar than a comparably sized soda," warns Kelly. If you drink juice, only do so early in the day and be sure to dilute it with a little bit of water. Remember, sugar lures the boogieman out. For more ways to cut back on your intake of the sweet stuff.
Salad Dressing
In the study, sweet foods were shown to cause scary dreams. But not all sugar comes from obvious sources like donuts and milkshakes. To scare off the Boogyman, Kelly says to be careful to avoid “hidden sources of sugar like ketchup and salad dressings.” Not sure which bottles to ban from your cabinet? Don’t miss our report.
Yogurt & Ice Cream
We get it: Late night TV and Ben&Jerry’s go together like, well, late night TV and Ben&Jerry’s; they’re the perfect match. But due to their sugar content and dairy base, ice cream and even some healthy-looking Greek yogurt varieties can give you nightmares. If you’re craving something creamy, look for a non-dairy, low sugar option instead.
Eat a rainbow platter
According to research, one of the best ways to boost your health by taking in a host of necessary nutrients, is by adding colour to your diet. According to the book, ‘What colour is your diet?’, written by known American medical researcher, David Heber, M.D, fruits and vegetables fall into five different categories – red, purple/blue, orange/yellow, green, and white/brown, and each colour comes with its own benefits.
Sure, dairy contains tryptophan, which serves as a precursor for the sleep-inducing hormone serotonin, but study participants who consumed dairy products (like cheese!) before bed were more likely to report unsavory dreams. Sounds like a great reason to ditch the caloric late night pizza if you ask us.
Hot Sauce
According to the study, students who ate spicy foods before bed had a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep. They also reported having stressful dreams. The reason: Spicy foods alter the body’s temperature, which according to the study, alters dream formations during the REM (rapid eye motion) stage of sleep. That doesn’t mean you have to totally ditch the hot sauce and spicy grub, though. Just cut yourself off six hours before you turn in for the night—and be sure to stick to one the Eat This!-approved bottles from our special report,
Booze
The only thing scarier than a killer hangover? The dreams you have the night after you’ve had a few. Not only can consuming alcohol before bed makes it more difficult to fall into a deep sleep, participants in the study reported nightmares and stressful dreams after knocking back a few.
Cookies & Cake
Get this: In the study, 31 percent of all reported “bizarre dreams” occurred after participants had eaten sugary foods like cookies and cake. While sweet treats may be tempting before bed, you’re better off giving into your cravings with one of these.
Chocolate
After dairy products, sweets and chocolate were the second most frequently mentioned category of dream-influencing foods, with reports of “bizarre” and “disturbing” dreams being the most common. "Remember that chocolate is high in caffeine (which has been shown to decrease your ability to fall into a deep sleep) and has sugar, so this may not be the best bet before bed,” Lauren Kelly, MS, RD, CDN of Kelly Wellness in New York City tells us. Even if you’re eating the healthy dark variety, Kelly advises enjoying it as an early afternoon snack instead of a post-dinner dessert. If you have to have some chocolaty goodness after your evening meal, cut your portion size back to see if that helps.
Chips
Just because chips don’t have sugar or caffeine doesn’t mean they’re a good before-bed snack. About 12.5 percent of all disturbing dreams in the study were caused by the consumption of “greasy junk food” like chips. That’s not the only reason to stay away either. The grease can do a number on your digestive tract, making it hard for you to stay in a restful sleep. Switch to a lighter healthy chip or nibble on something else that’s crunchy.
Hot Cocoa
We already told you that both the white granular stuff and dairy could bring out the monsters in the closet, so it should come as no surprise that the mix of sugar and milk in hot cocoa can bring you bad dreams. If you crave a soothing warm drink before bed, opt for warm water with lemon or a caffeine-free detox tea. The calming valerian and hop varieties are two of our favorites—just don’t forget to hold the milk.
Pasta & Bread
Participants in the study who had pasta or bread before bed reported having upsetting dreams, which is no surprise considering sugar consumption was shown to have the same effect. It’s a little-known fact, but carbs actually convert to glucose (a form of sugar) in the body. That said, try to eat your carbs earlier in the day so your body has time to process them before you settle in for sleep. Other carb-slashing options: ditch the top bun on your burger and swap your noodles.
Fries & Chicken Nuggets
Some study participants who had greasy foods before bed reported having nightmares. With that in mind, we suggest choosing baked foods over fried whenever possible. Love fries? Make a healthier version by cutting a potato into wedges, tossing them on a baking sheet, and coating them with a touch of olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and ground pepper. Bake for 45 minutes at 450 degrees. If the spud’s carb content still winds up giving you nightmares, try dialing back the serving size. For a healthier way to make a batch of nuggets.
Juice
Though they’re often regarded as the better choice, many bottled juices are just as bad as a can of Coke or Pepsi. “Many people think of [juice] as a healthy option, when really it can have even more sugar than a comparably sized soda," warns Kelly. If you drink juice, only do so early in the day and be sure to dilute it with a little bit of water. Remember, sugar lures the boogieman out. For more ways to cut back on your intake of the sweet stuff.
Salad Dressing
In the study, sweet foods were shown to cause scary dreams. But not all sugar comes from obvious sources like donuts and milkshakes. To scare off the Boogyman, Kelly says to be careful to avoid “hidden sources of sugar like ketchup and salad dressings.” Not sure which bottles to ban from your cabinet? Don’t miss our report.
Yogurt & Ice Cream
We get it: Late night TV and Ben&Jerry’s go together like, well, late night TV and Ben&Jerry’s; they’re the perfect match. But due to their sugar content and dairy base, ice cream and even some healthy-looking Greek yogurt varieties can give you nightmares. If you’re craving something creamy, look for a non-dairy, low sugar option instead.
Eat a rainbow platter
According to research, one of the best ways to boost your health by taking in a host of necessary nutrients, is by adding colour to your diet. According to the book, ‘What colour is your diet?’, written by known American medical researcher, David Heber, M.D, fruits and vegetables fall into five different categories – red, purple/blue, orange/yellow, green, and white/brown, and each colour comes with its own benefits.
Eat a rainbow platter
According
to research, one of the best ways to boost your health by taking in a host of
necessary nutrients, is by adding colour to your diet. According to the book,
‘What colour is your diet?’, written by known American medical researcher,
David Heber, M.D, fruits and vegetables fall into five different categories –
red, purple/blue, orange/yellow, green, and white/brown, and each colour comes
with its own benefits.
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