4. Greasy foods
We all love a good greasy meal—think takeout, deep-fried goodies, or even a juicy burger. But those high-fat foods can really throw off our digestive system, especially when we’re eating them later in the day.
When we chow down on these rich, fatty foods, our stomachs have to work overtime to break them down. This sends a signal to our brain that we’re still in “daytime mode,” keeping us alert when we should be winding down. The result? A restless night of sleep.
In fact, studies have found that eating a high-fat dinner can lead to waking up more often throughout the night. Even worse, it can mess with your REM sleep—the deep, restorative sleep where the real magic happens. High-fat meals can also mess with your breathing while you sleep, leading to issues like acid reflux, which only makes things worse.
To put it simply: those heavy, greasy meals could be ruining your sleep. Research shows that people who regularly eat high-fat diets tend to wake up more frequently compared to those who go for lighter, lower-fat meals.
