Christmas Day is one of the most anticipated days of the year, and one of the main appeals to those who celebrate is the festive food and drink throughout the season.
From mulled wine to mince pies, it’s easy to see why Brits love the Christmas season.
However, more than 35% of Brits are left with a bad taste in their mouth as the festive season aggravates digestive problems (1), a common cause for complaints of disturbed sleep.
To help the nation have a restful night’s sleep before the big day, the team at thortful, has spoken to food experts to find out what you should and shouldn’t be eating to encourage the perfect sleep.
Jo Travers, Registered Dietitian for Love Your Gut, says that eating well is vital for a good night’s sleep on Christmas Eve, adding “Amidst all the festivities, it can be easy to forget to take care of yourself which is why we need to make sure we help our immunity and gut health. The bacteria in our gut ‘teach’ our immune systems what is harmful or not and helps make sure the immune system doesn’t overreact when exposed to harmful antigens and keeps inflammation in check.”
A spokesperson from thortful comments, “Christmas is a time for celebration, and we encourage both food and gifts to be enjoyed but advise thinking ahead on Christmas Eve so you can be fresh for the gift giving the next morning!”
Here are five foods to avoid on Christmas Eve to be well rested for the big day:
Caffeine
Lara Buckle, nutritionist at The Wellness Detective says to avoid drinking caffeine, especially in the afternoon. “Steer clear of caffeine and foods containing caffeine. Drinks like coffee, tea, chocolate, and certain sodas. Caffeine is a stimulant that can interfere with your ability to fall asleep.”
If caffeine is a must, try to consume it in the morning to help with sleep.
Alcohol
Although the festive period is one for celebrations, Lara explains that,” While alcohol might initially make you feel drowsy, it can disrupt your sleep cycle and lead to fragmented and poor-quality sleep.” An ideal way to avoid waking up on Christmas morning with a sore head is to drink water between drinks, keeping a glass of water next to you after you have gone to sleep also encourages you to sip in the night if you wake up.
Spicy foods
Many Christmas party foods are full of flavour and spice, but Lara says, “Spicy foods can cause indigestion and heartburn, making it uncomfortable to lie down and sleep.” If you know that spicy foods affect you, it might will be best to resist the temptation of infused foods.
High-fat foods
Jo explains, “While Christmas food is indulgent and delicious, lots of favourites like bacon rolls, paté and sausage meat stuffing can be high in saturated fat, which can have a negative impact on gut microbiota.
Instead, why not opt for a gut-friendly alternative such as vegetarian red pepper or walnut patés.”
Heavy or rich meals
Lara says if you do eat rich, fatty or high sugar foods, eat smaller portions in the evening to improve sleep quality. “Large, heavy meals can also lead to indigestion and discomfort, making it harder to sleep well.” While the festive season is definitely a time to treat yourself, overindulging will impact your digestion.
