Sleep-filled nights in college are like a mirage. You think you can see it coming and you tell yourself it’s going to happen, but then you just spend another night wide awake counting the bumps on your dorm room ceiling.
Whether you’re cramming for an exam or just staying out all night, restful nights seem to be far and few between. So when you get the opportunity to sleep in, don’t ruin your chances of a good night sleep by eating the wrong things. Avoid these five foods before hitting the sheets so you can wake up feeling refreshed.
1. Alcohol
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Unfortunately for us college kids, alcohol is one of the worst things to consume if you want to get a good night’s sleep. So even though those few glasses of Franzia might help you fall asleep, it will actually hurt you in the long run. Alcohol can make you toss and turn more frequently throughout the night than if you hadn’t drank.
2. Coffee
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Coffee is a quintessential part of jumpstarting college kids’ days. It’s known that coffee is a stimulant, which is exactly why you shouldn’t be drinking it before hitting the sheets. Not only that, but coffee also increases your need for bathroom trips. So save yourself a restless night of sleep and limit your intake to 8 hours before bed.
3. Greasy Foods
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As a sucker for anything greasy and cheesy, I know how intense the craving hits right before bed. But did you know it’s actually a bad thing to scarf down that cheeseburger or piece of pizza as a late night snack? Foods high in fat are definitely the enemy of restful nights because they take so long to digest. As a result, your sleepy body can only focus on breaking down your food, not on winding down and falling asleep.
4. Spicy Foods
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If you just have to eat those leftover chicken wings before bed, I won’t judge. But continuously eating spicy foods before bed can attribute to your insomniac lifestyle. Because spicy foods are hard on your stomach, they can cause stomach aches and acid reflux, and a restless night’s rest.
5. Heavy Protein
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Any protein-rich foods are a major no-no before bed. Like high fat foods, protein-rich foods take longer to digest, therefore preventing your body from falling asleep. So if you’re planning on going to sleep right after dinner, swap out the chicken for turkey to ensure a good night’s sleep. Can you say tryptophan?