Eating well and sleeping well are the basic standards for measuring happiness for the majority of people, and the foremost prerequisite for maintaining personal health. However, for modern people with a fast work pace and immense life pressure, balancing the two is no easy task. Besides the "forgetting to eat and sleep" work norm that makes people uneasy, seemingly ordinary daily habits can also lead to neglecting one for the other. For example, a spicy dinner can easily rob you of a good night's sleep.
Research shows: Spicy dinner affects sleep
"The effect of spicy food on sleep" is not an exaggeration. Recently, an Australian research team monitored a group of young, healthy men and found that after they had a large spicy dinner mainly seasoned with Mexican chili sauce and mustard, their sleep patterns changed significantly. EEG monitoring showed that the duration of their fast-wave sleep and slow-wave sleep were both shortened, meaning less deep sleep time and longer periods of tossing and turning.
Furthermore, the researchers also found that after consuming spicier food, body temperature rises during the first sleep cycle, which also leads to reduced sleep quality. The researchers stated that multiple reasons can explain the effect of spicy dinners on sleep, with the most obvious one being the irritant effect of spicy food on the digestive system. Expert explanation: Three reasons why spicy food disturbs sleep
In fact, spicy food does have a certain impact on sleep. According to a nutrition expert from Health 863, this is mainly related to three factors. Firstly, irritating substances in chili peppers, such as capsaicin, stimulate the human tongue tip, which in turn stimulates the central nervous system and nerve endings throughout the body, leading to increased heart rate, elevated body temperature, and a prolonged state of excitement. At the same time, ingredients like chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, black pepper, garlic, and ginger are highly irritating to the digestive system and can easily cause a burning sensation in the stomach. Additionally, the digestion of spicy food consumes sleep-promoting substances in the body. These are all important reasons that affect sleep.
Therefore, although indulging in spicy food can feel exhilarating and satisfying, if you want to sleep soundly, it's best to stay away from hot pot, spicy stir-fry, spicy hot pot, boiled fish, and spicy crab. Special reminder: Be careful with spicy food or it may cause illness
Experts also remind that besides affecting sleep quality, spicy food also poses certain potential health risks. Traditional Chinese Medicine considers foods containing chili peppers, black pepper, and Sichuan peppercorns to be "pungent foods." Besides generating internal heat, these foods also have a strong dispersing effect that can easily deplete the body's vital energy (Qi), and in severe cases, lead to a deficiency of Qi and a weakened immune system. More importantly, spicy food is highly irritating to the mouth and digestive system. Eating too much can easily lead to canker sores, gingivitis, acne, hemorrhoids, and in severe cases, even heavy illnesses such as gastric bleeding, gastric ulcers, gastritis, and tongue cancer.
Therefore, when consuming spicy food, one must do so in moderation. People who naturally have a deficiency of Yin and excess of Fire, or who suffer from oral inflammation, pharyngitis, ulcers, gastrointestinal diseases, bronchitis, chronic pancreatitis, cholecystitis, dermatitis, nephritis, hypertension, and other conditions should eat less or avoid it altogether.
Of course, spicy food is not without its benefits. Besides delighting the taste buds, they also promote the circulation of Qi and blood, eliminate stagnation of Qi and blood in the body, promote blood circulation and metabolism, stimulate gastrointestinal motility, increase digestive secretions, enhance appetite, as well as dispel wind and cold, and relieve fatigue. But the most important prerequisite is moderation; balanced consumption is what adds to your health.