"An improper diet is one of the main reasons, besides the irrational nutritional combination of food, it could also be because many people eat foods that can easily affect sleep quality for dinner, such as sweet potatoes, peas, corn, chili, etc.," said Xiong Xinying, chief physician of the Neurology Department at China-Japan Friendship Hospital.
Many people know which foods help promote sleep, but few know that some foods not only hinder sleep but can also cause insomnia. Now is the season for roasted sweet potatoes, and their sweet and fragrant taste is a delight to eat. However, eating too much of these foods for dinner can easily lead to insomnia. This is because foods like sweet potatoes, corn, and peas produce a significant amount of gas during digestion. By bedtime, undigested gas can cause bloating, which interferes with normal sleep. In addition to foods that have a satiating effect and stimulants for the central nervous system like coffee and tea, some spicy and salty foods, such as spicy snacks and garlic bread, can also affect sleep quality. Spicy foods not only easily cause a burning sensation in the stomach and indigestion but also consume sleep-promoting substances in the body during digestion, thereby impacting sleep.
Greasy food can also cause insomnia. This is because the digestion of greasy food increases the workload on the intestines, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, stimulating the central nervous system and keeping it in a working state, which delays the onset of sleep.
Dinner should be as light as possible, and it is advisable to finish eating before 8 PM.