If you find yourself constantly slamming the snooze button because you’re desperate for a little more kip, experts have suggested you might want to take a look at your diet.

British nutrition expert Cheryl Lythgoe from Benenden Health has revealed the worst foods to consume at night if you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep.

But it’s not always easy to disobey those nightly hunger pangs, especially after a long day’s work. For this, the experts suggest avoiding ‘stimulants’ like sugar in foods like chocolate or ice cream right before you hit the sack.

Cheryl told the Huffington Post: ‘Going to bed on an empty stomach drops blood sugar levels and interferes with the body’s ability to sleep well. 

‘But avoid stimulants such as sugars or caffeine, as they will keep you up at night’.

British nutrition experts Benenden Health have revealed the worst foods to consume at night if you're struggling to get a good night's sleep (Stock image)

British nutrition experts Benenden Health have revealed the worst foods to consume at night if you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep (Stock image)

Here FEMAIL reveals the five foods that could be making it very difficult for you to fall asleep at night, according to the expert.

1. Crisps

It’s no fun sitting down to enjoy your favourite TV series at bedtime without a snack or two at the ready.

And while crisps are often the snack of choice, experts warn they could be the stuff of nightmares.

Crisps are loaded with salt which could in turn make you even hungrier and lead to overeating.

It’s hard to doze off when you’re ransacking the kitchen for another flavoursome packet of crisps.

Overconsumption of salt also causes the body to dehydrate, therefore increasing water retention and making for a very uncomfortable sleep.

2. Curry

There’s nothing like a delicious homemade or takeaway curry at night to settle that roaring stomach.

However, you  may want to save your vindaloo for a lunchtime treat, because it can cause a whole host of problems for you at nigh.

Curries are wonderfully flavoursome, and mostly use an array of spices and chillies to achieve this.

However, spicy foods contain high levels of capsaicin – an active chemical in chilli peppers that make your mouth hot to the touch.

Though a treat on the lips, spicy foods are mostly troublesome at night as they elevate the body’s temperature, making it markedly difficult to maintain a long night’s sleep.

3. Chocolate

It’s easy to skip over this one, because let’s face it – who doesn’t want to scoff a tasty chocolate bar before bed?

However, lots of chocolate is packed with caffeine, a stimulant found in beverages like coffee and tea, which are notable for keeping you wide awake.

According to Livestrong: ‘Chocolate contains a trifecta of substances – caffeine, theobromine and sugar – that create a perfect storm for sabotaging sleep.

‘Chocolate is a solid source of caffeine, and like your morning jog, it can give you a jolt of energy, which you don’t need at nighttime when you’re trying to wind down’. 

4. Cheese

This comfort snack is considered one of the worst to consume before bed, as it contains high amounts of the amino acid tyramine, which makes you feel alert.

Consuming strong cheeses like cheddar and parmesan right before bedtime can increase your heart rate, setting quite the challenge for a decent snooze.

The experts also explain that tyramine causes the adrenal glands to release the ‘fight or flight’ hormone, which increases alertness for a number of hours. 

The acid can also also be found in sandwich meats like bacon, ham and pepperoni, so it’s best to avoid them at night. 

5. Ice cream

Come rain or shine, ice cream is a sweet treat enjoyed by all at almost any time of the day.

However, it’s best to restrict this tasty snack to daylight hours if you’re suffering from a bad kip. 

Cheryl said: ‘Sugary foods, such as ice-cream and sweets, send blood sugar levels spiking at first, which then crash whilst you are asleep. 

‘A crash in blood sugar alerts the adrenals that there is an emergency, which, in turn, increases cortisol levels, and wakes the body from slumber’. 

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