Sleeplessness and insomnia are serious problems, but are you contributing to the problem by eating foods that are actually keeping you awake?

There are certain chemicals in foods that react with the body to release energy and ultimately induce insomnia.

1. Oats

According to professional Dr. Robert Kwok of Health Tap Inc., oats contribute to feelings of sleeplessness because of their high fiber content, even though they also contain melatonin, which actually works in the body to induce fatigue. Individuals eating oats just before bedtime don’t digest this food properly, which leads to problems with gas and heartburn.

2. Vegetables

Vegetables such as beans, broccoli and even garlic can be tricky to digest, which means that after eating them just before bedtime, you can be kept up by problems with gas. Leafy vegetables make people urinate more frequently, thus keeping them up all night with incessant trips to the bathroom.

3. Red Meat

It’s not a good idea to eat red meat later in the evening because your body needs time to digest this food so it just ends up sitting in your stomach the entire night. If you must eat meals containing protein later in the evening, stick to the lighter options, such as turkey.

4. Ice Cream

Just about everyone loves ice cream, but this treat contains so much sugar, as well as carbohydrates that it stimulates your brain and keeps you up long after your bedtime has come and gone.

5. Alcohol

The American Heart Association has recommended that women stick to one drink per day, while men can push it to two. You will still want to cut it out before bedtime.

6. Spicy Meals

According to the International Journal of Psychology, spicy foods not only contribute to stomach related discomfort when eaten before bedtime, but also stimulate a person enough to keep them awake.

7. Sugars And Carbs

Any food that has a high sugar or carbohydrate content should be avoided just before bedtime, says the National Institute of Health. This is particularly because these foods raise the blood-sugar levels, which interrupts up your sleeping patterns.

8. Fatty Foods

Fatty and greasy foods can be difficult for the body to digest, especially when these are combined with high acidic foods, such as the tomato base on a pizza. Ultimately, the stomach will end up spending the entire night trying to digest the meal if it’s eaten too late in the evening. And you’ll suffer the consequences.

9. Dark Chocolate

Since dark chocolate contains caffeine, as well as phenylethylamine, theobromine and anadamide (which are all stimulants), it is best that you leave this treat until the morning.

10. Caffeine

Anything that contains caffeine should be avoided in the evening, and in some cases in the late afternoon, since the effects of this stimulant can be quite long lasting for some people.

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