You’re ready for bed. It’s been a long day, and you just want to get some Zzzs. Unfortunately, you’re wide awake, and all you can think about is how tired you are. Sounds familiar? It might be what you drank before hitting the sack.
There are several drinks that can keep you awake or even prevent you from getting enough sleep at night. Here are some of them:
Coffee and Energy Drinks
This is the obvious one, these two drinks often go hand in hand because the caffeine in them can keep you awake for hours. Caffeine acts on your central nervous system and keeps you alert. The half life of caffeine is about 5 hours! That means when you go for that pick me up coffee at 3PM, your body has only processed half of the caffeine by 8PM. Even at 1AM, 25% of the caffeine is still in your plasma. What’s more, caffeine is a diuretic, too, so you’re forcing your body to work harder to stay hydrated and disrupting the bodies natural methods of slowing your kidneys down so you can sleep through the night without getting up to pee.
Apple Cider Vinegar Drinks
This type of drink is made from apple cider vinegar, which has been touted as a cure-all for everything from acne to dandruff and hair loss.
Apple cider vinegar drinks are known to contain potassium, and potassium is a natural diuretic. Therefore, it can cause you to lose water and make you feel thirsty, disrupting your sleep, and can cause those pesky nighttime pee breaks.
Tea
Tea is good for you because it is full of antioxidants, but some those antioxidants come from high levels of caffeine. Make sure to double check what kind of tea you are drinking, especially if it is a blend. Avoid black, green and white tea, only drink herbal tea before bed. Even “non-caffeinated” tea and coffee can have just as much caffeine in them as a white or green tea that is on the lower end of the spectrum. If you want to get the benefits of tea, avoid unknown blends and stick to herbal only before bed.
Soda
Soda is another drink that can energize us, even if it is “caffeine free”. The immense amount of sugar in soda spikes your blood sugar and can give your brain a wave of false energy. Rather than opting for diet soda, we suggest a naturally flavored water made at home, with things like citrus, berries and mint.
What Drinks Can Help You Get a Good Night’s Sleep?
So what drinks can you have to get a good night’s sleep? Water helps you get the rest you need, so use it to your advantage. Water decreases swelling, so you won’t be so bloated, and it enables you to avoid feeling thirsty at night. The key is to ensure you are hydrated all day, and not to try to “make up” for it at the end of the night. This will overload your bladder and kidneys, and cause nocturia.
Conclusion
Sleep is a crucial part of your day, so make sure that you don’t stay up into the wee hours of the morning by drinking the wrong types of drinks. There are many things you can do to power up your sleep experience, but knowing what drinks to avoid will ensure you’re not sabotaging your whole night.
Sleep Better Live Better is a reputable sleep clinic in Vancouver, Surrey, and Victoria. We have a qualified team that can help patients find healthy sleep solutions. Contact us today.
