Why laying down after eating is bad

Many people develop a habit of binging on unhealthy snacks late in the night — chips, doughnuts, cookies and aerated beverages. Midnight snacking is a sure-fire way to increase calorie intake and gain weight. You must not indulge in unhealthy snacking before going to sleep, as it will harm you in ways more than one.

Certain foods, when consumed right before bedtime, can block adenosine — a chemical that helps us fall asleep naturally. Also, make sure you avoid consuming foods that contribute to insomnia. These include —. Moreover, you should also avoid eating sugary foods at night before going to bed. This is because your body uses up a micronutrient like Magnesium to assimilate sugar into the body.

Magnesium is needed to help you fall asleep and with a lack of magnesium, sugary foods can keep you awake at night. But could eating before bed actually be bad for you? But depending on what you eat, this might not necessarily be the case. So, how does eating before sleep really affect your body?

Your body gains weight when you take in more calories than you are burning off. This is the case no matter when you eat. And, eating a big meal and then hitting the couch can be just as harmful. Eating an early dinner allows your body time to burn off those unwanted calories before going to sleep. By Christine Mugnolo Updated October 8, Christine Mugnolo.

Christine Mugnolo is an experienced editor, wife and stay-at-home mom who lives in New Jersey. With fitness and health in mind, she is an adventurous eater who is just trying to teach her kids and dogs that a Happy Meal is not a food group.

Eating too much right before bed might make it harder to fall asleep — but a little snack isn't the worst idea in the world. Video of the Day. Late-Night Bites and Digestion. Full Stomach, Restless Night. What About Weight Gain? Better Choices Before Bed. How to Kick Midnight Munchies. Compounding this problem is that lack of sleep can also have a deleterious effect on hormones that help to regulate weight.

Other foods can be comforting, like a warm glass of milk, and this may help us to relax and mentally prepare for sleep as part of a regular bedtime routine. Alcohol in a nightcap can make us feel sleepy initially, but it wears off quickly and can actually fragment and disrupt sleep. It may also exacerbate sleep apnea by relaxing the muscles of the airway. There is also evidence that the timing of food consumption can affect sleep.

The intake of food prompts the release of insulin, which is a process that is also linked to the circadian rhythm. Food can signal wakefulness in the brain and interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Eating too close to bedtime may actually harm your sleep.

This may be especially true if you eat too much or eat certain foods that induce heartburn. Lying down may cause reflux symptoms that cause burning chest discomfort and a bitter taste in your mouth. Some people describe this as "burping up food.

Alcohol, chocolate, and even peppermint may also worsen heartburn and reflux. In addition, caffeine in coffee, tea, soda pop, energy drinks, and chocolate should be avoided.

Caffeine blocks adenosine , a chemical that makes you feel sleepy, and when consumed too close to bedtime may contribute to insomnia. It can also increase the need to urinate at night, a condition referred to as nocturia. Not everyone is sensitive to caffeine, but if you are, consider restricting caffeine consumption to earlier in the day.

Generally speaking, a light snack before bedtime is not problematic. A study in the journal Nutrients concluded that a small snack calories or less might even be beneficial for muscle protein synthesis and cardiometabolic health. If you continue to have difficulty sleeping after separating mealtimes and bedtimes, speak with a sleep specialist about treatment options. Sometimes a sleeping wedge pillow or the use of medications to treat heartburn may be necessary.