I’m a sleep expert and this is why you should NEVER eat a banana before bed – and the fruit to have instead
If you’re craving a midnight snack, experts have revealed that there’s one type of fruit you should definitely avoid.
In fact, eating a banana before bed could give you nightmares.
The yellow-skinned superfood — a favorite in smoothies and fruit salads — could overdrive your imagination and disrupt your sleep cycles.
Instead, the pros at US-based sleepjunkie.com suggested opting for a kiwi – which is packed with high volumes of serotonin and antioxidants.
“Due to their high levels of magnesium which relaxes the muscles and calms the body, many people can benefit from their soothing effects late at night,” a spokesperson told FEMAIL.
If you’re craving a midnight snack – try to avoid a banana, sleep experts have warned – because they could give you nightmares. Used stock image
“However, bananas also produce a high amount of melatonin, and too much melatonin can have the opposite effect of its intended use.”
They added that while the fruit will provide you with “26% of the recommended daily value of melatonin”, that’s exactly what can keep you awake if you snack close to bedtime.
“This is because your circadian rhythms will be disrupted and activate your imagination,” the experts advised.
Additionally, other side effects of short-term melatonin use include dizziness, headache, and restlessness.
The sleep pros continued, “Most healthy adults need at least seven to nine hours of sleep per night to function at their best.
“However, the average human will also only get 1-2 hours of deep sleep for every 8 hours of this nighttime sleep and will typically fall into deep sleep within an hour of falling asleep.”
“Therefore, eating bananas so close to when you fall asleep can have a significant impact on your precious hours of deep sleep.”
For this reason, they advise pacing your snacks and carefully considering them in relation to bedtime.
“Eating too many melatonin-containing fruits can make you sleepy and groggy the next day due to your restless night’s sleep.
Instead, they advise opting for a kiwi – which is packed with high volumes of serotonin and antioxidants (stock image used)
“Therefore, the timing of melatonin is critical in aiding sleep. Ideally, if you enjoy a late-night snack before bed, try leaving it an hour or two before trying to sleep.
Eating a kiwi, however, could be the perfect tasty ritual before bed.
“If you have a sweet tooth late at night, kiwi fruit is one of the best choices to help increase your sleep efficiency and stop the brain playing tricks on you,” sleep experts advise.
“Studies show that kiwi fruit can help improve sleep quality and sleep schedules if consumed for a month or more before bedtime.”
Indeed, the tangy green fruit contains high amounts of serotonin and antioxidants – as well as vitamins such as vitamin B and folic acid – “which are often used to treat sleep disorders”.
“These vitamins can also help reset your body to its natural sleep schedule,” they added.
