Does Sugar Keep You Awake?

If you eat sugar before bed, it can keep you awake at night and affect the quality of your sleep. Sugar boosts energy levels and can increase hyperactivity, making it harder to drift off. Of course, this depends on how much you consume and how close to bedtime. So, let’s explore this topic together.

Firstly, consuming too much sugar at night can raise your blood sugar levels, disrupting your body’s natural sleep cycle and triggering an energy rush. It can also interfere with key sleep hormones like melatonin and cortisol.

An imbalance in these hormones, combined with a surge of energy, can leave you feeling overstimulated and restless—far from the relaxed state needed for sleep. On top of that, sugar can contribute to inflammation and alter the healthy bacteria in your gut, which may increase the risk of sleep disorders like insomnia.

Eating sugar before bed doesn’t just impact your ability to go to sleep, however, but your overall sleep quality. A study on sugar intake and sleep found that 83% of participants experienced poor-quality sleep after consuming sugar. They not only got less deep sleep but also woke up more frequently during the night.

Worse still, the less sleep you get, the more sugar you crave during the day, creating a vicious cycle of food consumption that affects your sleep, health, and quality of life.

Stop eating sugar a couple of hours before bed to give your body enough time to process and wind down. Ideally, you shouldn’t eat at all within 2–3 hours of bedtime. A study found that participants who ate within this window were more likely to wake up during the night.

It’s important to remember that sugar isn’t just in sweets – it’s in savoury foods, too. From pasta sauces and processed foods to the natural sugars in healthy options like apples, cucumbers, and yoghurt, sugar is everywhere. Just be mindful of what and how much you eat before bed, as consuming too much can disrupt your sleep.

In addition to sugar, here are some other foods that you should avoid before bed:

• Caffeine – Found in coffee, tea, and energy drinks, caffeine can spike your energy levels and keep you awake.
• Spicy foods – These can cause indigestion and discomfort, making it harder to sleep peacefully.
• High-fat foods – Foods rich in fats take longer to digest, potentially disrupting your sleep.
• Alcohol – While it might make you feel sleepy, alcohol prevents you from getting deep, restorative sleep.
• Large meals – Eating heavy meals before bed can cause discomfort and disturb your sleep.

Related: Does Eating Late Keep You Awake?

Having a sweet tooth may impact your sleep quality and your dreams. Consuming large amounts of sugar can lead to an overactive mind and disturbed sleep, which can cause vivid and strange dreams. While there’s no evidence that sugar causes nightmares, studies show that you may have weirder dreams.

Read more: What Food Types Can Cause Nightmares?

If you’re struggling to sleep and think sugar is the reason, here are some tips to get better rest:

1. Don’t consume sugar 2-3 hours before bed
2. Reduce portion sizes during mealtimes
3. Opt for natural sweeteners in hot drinks
4. Avoid eating fast food or other junk food in the evening
5. Eat whole foods and those low in sugar
6. Reach for fruits or healthy alternatives
7. Avoid sugary desserts
8. Drink water or sugar-free drinks
9. Read nutritional labels and be aware of hidden added sugars
10. Plan meals ahead to reduce the temptation of sugary treats

Sugar may be sweet, but so is waking up feeling refreshed. Why not swap it for sleep-friendly snacks such as nuts, bananas, and yoghurt, or try drinking herbal teas to promote sleep? These healthy options can help improve sleep quality without the negative effects of sugar and other processed foods.

While reducing sugar intake can be challenging, it may enhance your slumber and indirectly benefit your overall health, weight, and stress levels.