Feeling grumpy in the morning? Blame your late-night dinner

Melbourne, Dec 31, (UNI) Eating before bedtime affects a good night sleep and results in tossing and turning the whole night, research shows.

According to the study by the University of South Australia, people who have their dinner just before sleeping feel grouchy next day as they miss out on normal sleep.

''They have a lot more awakenings and a lot more movement than the early eaters because they didn't actually get a lot of the deep sleep that is normally associated with the early hours of the night,'' The Bulletin quoted Professor Drew Dawson, who conducted the research as saying.

Dr Clare Collins, a lecturer in nutrition at the University of Newcastle said the body simply isn't designed to cope with a heavy load before sleep.

''If you have a really full stomach and you lie down, you're more likely to get a bit of reflux. You've got your digestion cranked up at full speed when your body should actually be relaxed and calm, more to help you get a really good night's sleep,'' she said.

But being hungry is as disruptive to sleep as being too full, Dr Collins warned. A light snack one hour before bed can help fuel your body for rest, she added.

''The ideal mix of foods for a really good night's sleep are going to be some carbohydrate foods, preferably the wholegrain versions of those, and then some protein foods but just a small amount,'' Dr Collins informed.

Eating dinner several hours before bed and avoiding coffe and alcohol would certainly help induce a good night sleep, she concluded.

UNI