Experts Identify Lesser-Known Foods That Could Be Sabotaging Your Sleep

Sleep studies reveal that 90% of adults worldwide regularly consume common sleep disruptors like caffeine and sugary foods. But here’s the twist: some seemingly innocent or even “healthy” foods could be silently stealing your Zzz’s, and they’re not the ones you’d expect. Sleep experts at Onebed have identified lesser-known sleep-disrupting foods that might be sneaking onto your plate and keeping you from the rest you need.

Dragonfruit might look like a sleep-friendly snack, but it’s anything but. This exotic fruit is loaded with magnesium and vitamin B6, nutrients that boost brain activity and cognitive function during the day. Combine that with its natural sugars, and you’ve got a fruit that keeps your brain in high gear instead of shifting into sleep mode. A beauty on your plate, but a beast for your bedtime.

Protein bars are the ultimate multitaskers—great for workouts, terrible for winding down. Their dense amino acid profiles require significant digestion, forcing your metabolism to work overtime when it should be slowing down. That post-gym snack might be keeping your body in “go mode,” directly competing with the chill-out signals needed for sleep.

This fizzy drink might be a wellness favorite, but it’s no friend to your sleep. The fermentation process in kombucha creates tyramine—a compound that stimulates your nervous system—and trace amounts of caffeine. Together, they’re like a double punch to your relaxation. If you’re sensitive to these compounds, you’ll be lying awake wondering why your “healthy” drink feels like a wake-up call in a bottle.

Pickles and other fermented foods are another unexpected disruptor. They’re packed with tyramine and histamines, which interfere with melatonin production—your body’s natural sleep hormone. If you’ve ever felt wired after a late-night snack of pickled veggies or kimchi, now you know why. These tangy troublemakers aren’t just tasty—they’re working against your body’s natural rhythm.

It’s creamy, it’s delicious, and it’s surprisingly bad for bedtime. Green tea ice cream is a sneaky triple threat: caffeine, sugar, and L-theanine. While L-theanine can be calming during the day, it interacts differently at night, overstimulating your brain when it should be winding down. Add refined sugar into the mix, and you’ve got a dessert that fuels mental chaos instead of peaceful dreams.

Spirulina may be a superfood, but it’s a sneaky stimulant when it comes to sleep. Its high protein and amino acid content can trigger mild adrenal responses, subtly energizing your body instead of letting it relax. While it’s excellent for daytime energy and focus, consuming it too close to bedtime can turn your body into a metabolic buzz machine.

Salami, bacon, and other cured meats might make a delicious snack, but they’re also loaded with tyramine. This compound is notorious for stimulating brain activity, and when combined with the protein density of cured meats, it’s a recipe for alertness instead of rest. They’re salty, they’re satisfying, but they’re definitely not your bedtime buddies.

These foods aren’t villains—they’re just misunderstood players in the sleep game. Their impact on your rest comes down to timing, how much you eat, and your body’s unique response. The key? Avoid these sneaky disruptors at least 4-5 hours before bedtime. Think of your diet as an extension of your bedtime routine: just like dimming the lights or switching off your screens, eating the right foods at the right time sets the stage for deep, uninterrupted sleep. A Pro Tip? Trust your body over the latest food trends. Sleep isn’t just about cutting out the wrong foods—it’s about creating balance in everything you eat throughout the day. Get your diet in sync with your sleep, and you’ll wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day!