“Eating a bowl of ice cream before bed can negatively impact sleep because of its high sugar content,” says Jackie Topol, RD, culinary nutritionist. As Topol explains, when you eat something with lots of sugar in it too close to bedtime, your blood sugar will spike and then crash, causing you to wake up in the middle of the night.
One major side effect of eating ice cream, especially if you enjoy it as a dessert before bed, is that it could be disrupting your sleep. How diet—particularly high sugar foods like ice cream—play a role in sleep quality.
Why It’s Not a Good Idea: High in fat and sugar, ice cream is a less-than-ideal late-night craving. Not only will your tummy have a tough time digesting the fat, but the added sugar may even give you a burst of energy, says Dr. Bazil. Naturally, you don’t want to be riding a sugar rush before bed.
So yes, you may fall asleep faster after a glass (or three) of wine, but you’re probably going to wake up tomorrow still feeling pretty tired. Eating a bowl of ice cream before bed isn’t the absolute end of the world, but it won’t make for the best night of sleep you’ve ever had.
To avoid nighttime heartburn that could prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep, doctors suggest making lunchtime your biggest meal of the day and quitting eating three hours before bed. 5. Ice cream It’s always nice to enjoy dessert after dinner, but ice cream isn’t the best option for sleep.
While eating ice cream on a regular basis has been known to lead to weight gain, potentially lead to long-term heart disease risk, and even negatively impact our gut microbiome, it isn’t all bad. Ice cream can also bring us some necessary nutrients like calcium, as well as bring us a bit of food-related joy from time to time.
What to eat before bed to get a good night’s sleep?
Instead of filling your body with sugar and fat, which will rev up your energy when you’re supposed to be settling into a slumber, snack on healthier options before bed, such as almonds or bananas or some lean turkey, or drink some tart cherry juice, which is known to promote sleepiness (via Healthline ).
If you really can’t imagine falling asleep without a scoop or two, there is an ice cream brand called Nightfood that claims it was formulated by sleep experts to promote better sleep.
High-fat dairy products like ice cream contain tryptophan, the same nutrient that makes us need to take a nap after eating Thanksgiving turkey, according to registered dietitian Jamie Hickey (per MyFitnessPal blog ). We crave tryptophan-rich foods when we’re low on sleep. Dr.
Why is ice cream not good for sleep?
“Eating a bowl of ice cream before bed can negatively impact sleep because of its high sugar content ,” says Jackie Topol, RD, culinary nutritionist.
All you have to do is peel, slice, and freeze a ripe banana. When you’re ready to snack, throw the frozen banana chunks into a blender or food processor until they’re smooth and creamy.
Tart cherries, which promote sleep . Tart cherries contain high quantities of melatonin, the hormone that regulates when you feel sleepy, and tryptophan, an amino acid that causes fatigue. (Check out our round-up of the best smoothies to start and end your day with for a delicious tart cherry smoothie recipe.)
If you’re like me, you agree that there’s nothing quite as comforting as a big bowl of ice cream. Also, if you’re like me, you don’t even care what flavor you have—or whether you eat it from straight from the pint—as long as you can sneak a few bites before bedtime. The thing is, ice cream isn’t exactly the best treat to enjoy before hitting …
As a bonus, this is a snack that can actually help you sleep better. As we’ve reported previously, bananas are a good source of fiber and pectin, both of which can help you feel more full, which, in turn, can make it easier to get a good night’s sleep. Bananas are also chock full of sleep-promoting nutrients, including magnesium, potassium, …
What fruit should I eat before bed?
Should eat: Kiwi. Slice up some kiwi because, according to a recently-published study, kiwi is another fruit that helps you rest easy at night. Researchers out of Norway found that eating kiwi about an hour before hitting the hay led to better sleep than opting for another fruit variety for your bedtime snack.
Those powerhouse leafy greens like spinach, kale, collard greens, chard, and the like, are a good source of calcium, which your body needs to produce melatonin, which will help you sleep.
Should drink: Cherry juice. Shutterstock. Cherry juice is good for you in so many ways, but did you know it can promote a better night’s sleep? Tart cherry juice can help boost your melatonin, which is a naturally-occurring hormone that’s job it is to make you feel sleepy.
In an interview with Men’s Health, Erin Morse, a registered dietitian and the chief clinical dietitian at UCLA Health, said that this was likely do to with kiwi’s antioxidant makeup, which includes serotonin, which is known to help you fall asleep faster and sleep better.
Shutterstock. In an interview with Greatist. , registered dietitian Jessica Redmond said low-fat dairy products, especially when mixed into a snack with whole grains, such as a bowl of whole grain cereal and milk, can help promote sleep. Foods like certain cheeses, milk, and yogurt can all be a great choice when it comes to picking a snack …
What, you’re not shocked to see that you shouldn’t drink a cup of coffee before trying to lull yourself to sleep? There’s a lot of other places that caffeine could come from, though, including soda and chocolate — though foods like chocolate tend to carry caffeine in much smaller doses. In an article for Greatist, registered dietitian Abbey Sharp recommends keeping your daytime caffeine consumption to under 400 milligrams and no more, and to stop drinking coffee at noon. Switch to herbal tea if you have a nighttime tea habit.
It can be difficult, however, to know what the best choice is when it comes to bedtime snacks. Obviously, if it’s getting close to bedtime, you don’t want to compromise your quality of sleep, and there are so many things that, if you eat them too close to bedtime, can really hold you back from getting a good night’s sleep.
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