Some Foods That Keep You Awake at Night

Getting enough restful sleep is essential for overall health.
In fact, chronic sleep deprivation can affect both your physical and mental well-being and increase your risk of certain health conditions, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes (1Trusted Source).
Many factors, including your food choices, may make it harder for you to fall and stay asleep.
This article lists some foods and beverages that may keep you awake at night.

۱. Caffeinated foods and beverages
When you think of foods and drinks that give you immediate energy, coffee and other caffeinated products may come to mind.
This is because caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, meaning it increases feelings of alertness and makes you feel more awake and energized (2Trusted Source).
Because of this effect, caffeinated foods and beverages, including soda, coffee, caffeinated tea, and caffeinated chocolate products may negatively affect sleep and keep you awake at night.

Foods that contain caffeine include:
• chocolate
• coffee, including decaf, though in lower amounts than regular
• green and black teas
• guarana
• energy drinks
• foods that contain caffeine or coffee as an ingredient, such as tiramisu

What if you want to stay awake?
If you’re using caffeine to stay awake, say for a night shift, it might not be the best plan. Studies show that using caffeine to stay awake for night shifts and to shift sleep to the following day may lead to significantly decreased sleep quality overall.

۲. Spicy foods
Eating spicy foods close to bedtime may keep you awake for several reasons.
Spicy foods are known to cause indigestion and worsen symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
When you lie down to go to sleep, these spicy food-related symptoms can become worse, as acid may travel into the esophagus, causing irritation. This can keep you awake at night and lead to sleep disturbances (9Trusted Source).

۳. High glycemic index foods and added sugar
High glycemic diets and diets rich in added sugars may negatively affect sleep. Consuming foods high in added sugar close to bedtime may lead to insomnia and difficulty staying asleep.

۴. Fatty foods
Diets high in total, saturated, and trans fats may lead to sleep disturbances and keep you awake at night.
5. Fast food and other ultra-processed foods
Studies have found links between ultra-processed foods and poor sleep quality. Cutting back on ultra-processed foods is beneficial for overall health and may help you get a better night’s sleep.