15 Common Foods That Ruin Your Sleep (And What to Eat Instead)

Have you ever laid in bed, eyes wide open, tossing and turning, wondering why you just can’t fall asleep, even though you’re completely exhausted?

You might blame stress. Or your phone. Or that one episode of your favorite show that pulled you in way too late. And yes, all of those can disrupt your sleep. But here’s something most people overlook: what you eat.

That’s right. The food you eat during the day—and especially before bed—can seriously impact the quality of your sleep. Some foods make you sleepy and relaxed. Others do the exact opposite. They rev up your brain, upset your stomach, and make it almost impossible to get the deep, restorative rest your body needs.

In this article, we’ll walk through 15 surprisingly common foods that can ruin your sleep, explain why they’re a problem, and offer healthier alternatives to help you wind down and rest better, naturally.

How Food Affects Your Sleep (More Than You Think)

Before diving into the food list, let’s talk about why what you eat even matters when it comes to sleep.

Your body isn’t just passively digesting food. It’s constantly using nutrients to regulate all kinds of systems, including the ones that control your sleep. Hormones like melatonin and serotonin help set your internal clock (also called your circadian rhythm). These hormones are heavily influenced by what you eat.

Certain foods can help your body release sleep-promoting chemicals. Others interfere with those same hormones, leading to lighter, disrupted sleep or even full-blown insomnia.

Food also affects blood sugar, digestion, inflammation, and even your body temperature—all of which play a role in whether you fall asleep easily or spend the night wide awake.

Now let’s look at the biggest sleep saboteurs hiding in your kitchen.

1. Coffee and Energy Drinks

It’s no surprise that coffee keeps you awake—it’s the classic go-to when you're feeling groggy. But what many people don’t realize is how long caffeine stays in your body.

Caffeine has a half-life of about 5 to 7 hours. That means if you drink a cup of coffee at 3 p.m., half the caffeine is still in your system at 8 p.m., and a good chunk is still hanging around at bedtime.

Even worse? Many sodas, energy drinks, and even flavored waters are loaded with hidden caffeine. These can trick you into thinking you're making a better choice, but they might keep you wide awake longer than you’d like.

2. Dark Chocolate

Yes, dark chocolate has antioxidants and is often seen as a “healthy treat,” but it also contains caffeine and theobromine, another stimulant. The darker the chocolate, the more likely it is to mess with your sleep.

If you like to nibble on chocolate after dinner, it might be time to reconsider that habit, especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine or already struggling to wind down.

3. Spicy Foods

Spicy meals might be delicious, but they come with a price at bedtime. Spices like chili, cayenne, and black pepper can raise your core body temperature and cause acid reflux, both of which make falling asleep a lot harder.

Many people report weird or vivid dreams after eating spicy foods at night, and while research is still ongoing, it’s clear that your body has to work harder to process spicy meals, which can interrupt your natural sleep cycle.

4. Fatty or Fried Foods

Heavy, greasy meals—think burgers, fries, or pizza—take a long time to digest. When you eat these late in the evening, your digestive system has to work overtime while you’re trying to rest.

This can lead to indigestion, bloating, or even stomach pain, which keeps you tossing and turning. Plus, fatty foods can slow the production of serotonin and melatonin, which are key hormones for falling and staying asleep.

5. Alcohol

It might feel like a glass of wine helps you fall asleep faster, but don’t be fooled. Alcohol acts like a sedative at first, but it actually disrupts REM sleep, the deep stage of rest that helps you feel restored.

Drinking before bed can also cause you to wake up more often throughout the night, make you dehydrated, and even trigger snoring or sleep apnea symptoms in some people.

6. Processed Meats

Things like bacon, sausage, pepperoni, and deli meats aren’t just bad for your heart—they’re also bad for your sleep.

These meats are packed with tyramine, an amino acid that can trigger the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that increases brain activity. So instead of slowing down for sleep, your brain gets fired up—exactly the opposite of what you want at night.

7. Cheese and Aged Dairy

Aged cheeses like cheddar, blue cheese, and parmesan are also high in tyramine. While they’re great for a charcuterie board, they’re not ideal for bedtime. They can make you more alert and also cause digestion issues if you’re lactose intolerant, even mildly.

And yes, this includes late-night grilled cheese sandwiches, sadly.

8. Ice Cream

Ice cream might be a comforting bedtime snack, but it’s packed with sugar and fat, which can spike your blood sugar before you sleep, only to crash it later in the night, potentially waking you up.

The dairy content can also lead to bloating or gas, especially for those with sensitive stomachs, making it harder to get comfortable and drift off.

9. Sugary Cereals

It might seem harmless to pour a bowl of cereal before bed, but most popular cereals are loaded with sugar and low in fiber or protein. That means a quick blood sugar spike, followed by a sharp drop—and possibly a 3 a.m. wake-up call.

If you’re craving cereal, choose one that’s whole grain and low in sugar, and pair it with a sleep-friendly milk like almond or oat.

10. Tomato-Based Sauces

Tomatoes are acidic, which means they can easily trigger heartburn and acid reflux, especially if you lie down soon after eating.

So if your dinner includes pizza, spaghetti, or marinara sauce, it’s a good idea to eat it at least three hours before bed—and maybe keep the portion size smaller if you’re sensitive to acidity.

11. Citrus Fruits

Oranges, grapefruits, and even pineapples are full of vitamin C, which is great during the day, but not so great at night. Like tomatoes, these fruits are highly acidic and can lead to reflux or indigestion if eaten too close to bedtime.

They also give a bit of a “zing” to your system, which might energize you rather than calm you down.

12. Red Meat

Steak and other red meats are packed with protein and fat. While that might be great for building muscle, it’s not ideal for rest. These foods are harder to digest, which means your body is busy working instead of relaxing.

A heavy meat dinner can delay the release of melatonin, making it tougher to feel sleepy, even if you’re mentally ready for bed.

13. Soda and Sweetened Drinks

Sodas often contain both sugar and caffeine, a double whammy for your sleep. Even caffeine-free sodas can mess with your rest thanks to artificial sweeteners and carbonation, which can cause bloating and discomfort.

Stick to water or herbal teas in the evening instead.

14. Onions and Garlic

While healthy in many ways, onions and garlic can cause gas, bloating, or even acid reflux, especially when eaten raw or in large amounts.

That makes them problematic before bed, as you may find yourself dealing with stomach gurgles, bloating, or an uncomfortable burning feeling in your chest—all things that interfere with good sleep.

15. Green Tea and Matcha

You might think of tea as calming, but not all teas are created equal. Green tea, black tea, and matcha still contain caffeine, even if they have less than coffee.

They also contain L-theanine, which can make you feel mentally alert—something you probably don’t want when you’re trying to doze off.

Stick to caffeine-free herbal teas if you want to sip something warm before bed.

RELATED READ: 10 Powerful MCT-Rich Foods to Boost Energy, Brain Health, and Weight Loss

What to Eat Instead for Better Sleep

Now that you know what to avoid, let’s talk about what to eat instead. Here are some foods that promote relaxation and help your body prepare for sleep:

• Bananas: Loaded with magnesium and potassium, which help relax muscles.
• Cherries: One of the few natural sources of melatonin.
• Oatmeal: Warm and comforting, with slow-digesting carbs that help with serotonin release.
• Turkey: High in tryptophan, an amino acid linked to sleepiness.
• Almonds: Full of magnesium and healthy fats.
• Chamomile tea: Naturally calming, with mild sedative effects.

You don’t need a full meal before bed—just a small snack with the right nutrients can help you sleep better and wake up more refreshed.

Smart Nighttime Eating Habits to Sleep Better

In addition to picking the right foods, here are a few habits that can make a big difference:

• Finish dinner at least 2–3 hours before bed to allow your body time to digest.
• Keep late-night snacks light and low in sugar to avoid blood sugar spikes.
• Stay hydrated, but drink most of your water earlier in the day to avoid nighttime bathroom trips.
• Stick to a routine—eating and sleeping at consistent times support your body’s natural rhythm.

Final Thoughts: A Better Night’s Sleep Starts in the Kitchen

Improving your sleep doesn’t have to mean taking pills or investing in expensive gadgets. Sometimes, the biggest difference comes from something as simple as changing what you eat—and when you eat it.

By avoiding the 15 foods we covered here and choosing more sleep-friendly alternatives, you can give your body the tools it needs to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling more energized.

So next time you’re reaching for that late-night snack, ask yourself: will this help me sleep, or hurt it?

Your body—and your future self—will thank you.

Questions People Also Ask About Sleep & Food

1. How long before bed should I stop eating to sleep better?

Most sleep experts recommend finishing your last meal 2 to 3 hours before going to bed. This gives your body time to properly digest your food and shift into rest mode. Eating too close to bedtime—especially heavy or spicy meals—can lead to indigestion, acid reflux, or blood sugar swings that interfere with falling and staying asleep.

2. Can poor sleep be caused by what I eat during the day, not just before bed?

Yes, absolutely. While late-night eating is a major factor, your entire daily diet impacts your sleep. Diets high in sugar, refined carbs, and processed foods can lead to inflammation, blood sugar imbalances, and even hormone disruption, all of which affect your sleep quality. Conversely, a diet rich in fiber, healthy fats, magnesium, and tryptophan supports better sleep.

3. Does skipping dinner help with better sleep?

Skipping dinner might help some people sleep better if they suffer from indigestion or reflux. However, for others, it can cause low blood sugar at night, leading to early waking or trouble staying asleep. It’s better to eat a light, balanced meal a few hours before bed than to skip dinner entirely.

4. What are the worst bedtime snacks for insomnia?

The worst bedtime snacks include:

• Chocolate (caffeine and theobromine)
• Ice cream (sugar and dairy)
• Chips or fried foods (greasy, hard to digest)
• Candy or baked goods (sugar spikes)
• Spicy leftovers (acid reflux)

These all either stimulate your brain or disrupt your digestion—two things you don’t want before bed.

5. Does sugar before bed really affect sleep quality?

Yes. Sugar causes your blood sugar to spike, which can lead to a "crash" in the middle of the night. This crash can wake you up suddenly, increase your heart rate, or cause vivid dreams and restlessness. High sugar intake is also linked to lower levels of deep sleep, even if you don't fully wake up.

6. Can sleep deprivation make you crave unhealthy foods the next day?

Yes, and this creates a vicious cycle. Poor sleep disrupts ghrelin and leptin, the hormones that regulate hunger and fullness. As a result, you’re more likely to crave sugary, fatty, and high-calorie foods after a night of poor sleep. Unfortunately, these are the very foods that hurt your sleep again the next night.

7. Are there any beverages I should absolutely avoid in the evening?

Yes. Try to avoid:

• Coffee and espresso
• Energy drinks
• Soda (even caffeine-free varieties due to sugar and acidity)
• Alcohol (disrupts REM sleep)
• Green and black teas (contain caffeine)

Even decaf coffee can contain trace amounts of caffeine, so if you're sensitive, it may be worth skipping altogether in the evening.

8. What if I’m hungry before bed? Is it better to go to sleep hungry or eat something?

It depends. Going to bed mildly hungry is okay and sometimes even helpful. But if you're too hungry, you might wake up in the night. In that case, choose a light, sleep-supportive snack like half a banana with almond butter, a few almonds, or a small bowl of oatmeal. Avoid anything sugary, spicy, or greasy.

9. How do food allergies or sensitivities affect sleep?

Food sensitivities—like lactose intolerance, gluten sensitivity, or histamine intolerance—can lead to inflammation, bloating, congestion, or brain stimulation after eating certain foods. These symptoms may not always feel obvious but can quietly interfere with deep sleep. Keeping a food-and-sleep journal can help you spot hidden patterns.

10. Can magnesium-rich foods really help me sleep better?

Yes. Magnesium helps relax muscles and nerves and plays a role in producing melatonin, your body’s main sleep hormone. Foods high in magnesium—like almonds, leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, and bananas—can naturally support deeper and more restful sleep.