often have difficulty planning out mealtimes with consistency, and end up eating some of their meals very late into the night – sometimes before bed.
While it’s important to stay nourished and to get a good amount of food into you every day, there are times when it’s better than others. Eating before bed can trigger a type of acid reflux in your body, where you end up having to deal with coughing, difficulty swallowing, and an irritating sore throat.
Why is that?
All of those symptoms are caused by digestive juices backing up into your chest and throat, where the acidity takes over and causes damage. While “before bed” eating is generally advised against, there are certain foods and drinks that are more dangerous than others. So, do your best to keep these 5 foods out of your belly just before bed:
1. Soda
Although I advise against soda consumption altogether, the high levels acidity attack the valves that connect your stomach to your esophagus. This creates severe reflux-like symptoms that are all heightened as you lie down to go to sleep. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the carbonation in the soda also increases the amount of pressure in your stomach, making it harder to sleep.
2. Nuts
While unsaturated fats are good for you (which nuts plentifully contain), eating a large amount of fat before bed can actually contribute to acid reflux. In particular, you should try to avoid walnuts, cashews, and peanuts before you hit the sack.
Note: It’s important to keep in mind that these nuts and seeds are great for snacks at the beginning or middle of your day – just try to avoid eating them less than three hours before bed.
3. Alcohol
Alcohol has a tendency to calm and relax the valves that connect your stomach to your esophagus. What these valves do is work to keep your food where it belongs – in your stomach. If you drink a lot of it before bed, it becomes a lot easier for your body to go through reflux because the valves have just been calmed down.
4. Ice Cream
While it may seem like a great idea to gobble down a large bowl of ice cream just before bed, take caution. The fat content in the dairy may be enough to kick your body into reflux while you’re trying to sleep. At the same time, the sugar in the ice cream can also keep you up late and give you some of the most uncomfortable sleep you’ll ever experience.
5. Coffee
This one should be obvious. Never drink coffee before bed. While the coffee itself is already acidic, it also generates even more stomach acid because of the caffeine content. If you’re craving the taste of coffee, have a few sips of decaf before calling it a day. You’ll sleep more easily and you won’t have to deal with any of the consequences of acid reflux that you would otherwise.
Acid reflux can be easy to avoid if you know the right way to prevent it. While some of these foods are okay to have in a regular diet, you should avoid having them before bed. It will improve the health of your digestive system and reduce the risk of you having to deal with a sore throat or a cough in the morning.
