Snacking before bed can be a tricky business. Eat too much, and get ready for a night of tossing and turning. Eat too little, and you might find yourself devouring your entire kitchen at three in the morning. It’s no secret that steering clear of refined carbs and junky foods before bed is one of the best ways to avoid a sleepless night. But ask anyone who’s a sucker for cheese, noshing on healthy p.m snacks can still mess with your sleep quality if you’re not careful.
Balance is the key to successful bedtime snacking. Being overly full or starving is more likely to lead to sleep issues than any one particular food. If you’ve yet to find your snacking sweet spot, one of these seven mistakes could be the reason why and how can you fix them.
1. Get Carried Away With Portions.
Even when you eat healthy snacks before bed, such as pretzels and hummus or cheese and crackers, it’s easy to overdo it in the portion department. This sends the body into digestion mode, which can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. We don’t need to fuel our bedtime, just offer enough satisfaction that we don’t wake during the night hungry. The trick is to be strategic with your snack choices.
How Now? Choose snacks that are harder to overeat, such as pistachios. “Not only are they a good source of plant-based protein and fiber, but the empty shells serve as a visual reminder of how much you’ve eaten, potentially helping curb your intake. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, try a serving of fruits like grapes or berries, these eats still provide a sweet taste, but make it easier to pace yourself, since you can only eat one or two at a time.
2. Ignoring Your Cravings.
When you’re craving dessert and attempt to resist it by snacking on healthier alternatives, you might find yourself consuming more calories in the long run and because the healthy snack isn’t satisfying your craving, you might keep snacking to fill the void, only to end up hoovering the dessert you were trying so hard to steer clear of in the first place. This might lead to feelings of guilt and disappointment, which can stress you out before bed and disrupt the quality of your sleep.
How Now? Indulging in your dessert craving is perfectly alright if you decide that’s what you’d like to eat, so long as you stick to a reasonable portion such as one or two cookies or half a cup of ice cream. If you’re concerned about feeling guilty, meeting in the middle by pairing a food that’s less nutritious with a food that delivers more nutrients can be a helpful way to promote balance and satisfaction. For example, topping a small scoop of ice cream with berries or nuts.
3. Choosing A Protein Heavy Snacks.
Most people can forgo protein before bed and stick with a small amount of carbs and healthy fats to satisfy their hunger. Protein revs up our metabolism, which is great during the day but not so great when you’re trying to wind down. However, some people do need some protein at night to help stabilise their blood sugar level.
How Now? Aim for about 15 grams of protein before bed and then increase or decrease the amount of protein from there. An example might be a slice or two of nitrate free deli meat rolled up around 2 tablespoons of cream cheese and a pickle, or quarter to half cup of tuna or egg salad on a cracker.
4. Munching In Front Of The Television.
When you are snacking and distracted by something else, such as your favourite show or Instagram feed, you might miss out on important satiety cues and eat way more than you planned. Even snacking on healthy grub can put the quality of your sleep in jeopardy thanks to side effects like indigestion and heartburn.
How Now? Instead of bringing the entire bag of popcorn or package of almonds with you to the couch, measure out a serving or buy the snack foods that have already been portioned out. This might encourage you to stretch out the portion, giving your satiety cues a chance to catch up and leaving you more satisfied before bed without going overboard.
5. Drinking Too Much Water.
Many of us crave salty snacks at night, and even if you go the healthy route say with salted popcorn, nuts or pumpkin seeds. The next logical step would be to chug a bunch of water to stay hydrated. As a result, the quality of your sleep might plummet from the uptick in late night bathroom visits.
How Now? Ensure that you’re drinking enough water throughout the day to keep you well-hydrated into the night. If certain snacks are still making you feel extra thirsty, try switching up your snack to a less salty option. For instance, a serving of veggies or fruit with a piece of cheese offers a one punch of satiety and hydration.
6. Snacking Right Before Bed.
Getting your snack on just before bed can delay your ability to fall asleep, since your body will be busy digesting the grub. If you’re lying down as your stomach is doing its thing, gravity can’t help mosey the digested food through the digestive tract which can cause an upset stomach during the night.
How Now? Make sure you have your bedtime snack no later than 30 minutes before you turn in. A few apple slices and some peanut butter, topped with cinnamon if you’re feeling fancy. That should do the trick to keep blood sugar stable and late night cravings at bay.
7. Going To Bed Hungry.
Much like being too full can mess with your ability to fall asleep, so can being too empty. Hunger is a sign that your blood sugar is trending downward or already low. A low blood sugar state sends stress signals to your brain that you are low on energy and need food now. Not exactly an ideal state when you’re trying to shut your eyes for a good night sleep.
How Now? Munch on half a cup of berries with two to three tablespoons of heavy whipping cream. This snack will provide just enough carbs to bring your blood sugar up without going overboard, as well as healthy fats to keep it stable throughout the night.
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