Sleeping immediately after eating is an unhealthy habit that many people engage in, causing numerous health problems. This is what we will discuss in this article.
Disadvantages of sleeping after eating
Sleeping after eating has many disadvantages. Here are the most important disadvantages of sleeping after eating:
weight gain
The reason here is simply that you don't get the chance to burn even a small portion of the calories after eating.
However, it's worth noting that this particular point is one of the points of contention regarding the harms of sleeping after eating, as some researchers suggest that eating before bedtime may lead to weight gain.
Sleeping immediately after eating is harmful to health, because the body needs to move after eating to burn calories, so it is not recommended to sleep or sit after eating.
Numerous studies have shown that lack of sleep at night is linked to weight gain and obesity. The same applies to lying down immediately after eating, to avoid the negative effects of sleeping immediately after eating.
Therefore, it is recommended to leave at least a two-hour gap between finishing your meal and nap time, or bedtime at night, which gives your body a chance to start the digestion process and burn some fat. There is also another reason to avoid sleeping immediately after eating, which is to avoid acid attacks.
Lying down immediately after eating causes an increase in stomach acid, so if you want to take a nap, do some chores after you finish eating and before you nap.
Heartburn
Although lying down to sleep immediately after eating may seem tempting, we assure you that it is not without some risks, especially the development of heartburn.
While your body is trying to get some rest, your digestive system doesn't have that kind of luxury and must keep working.
With the stomach being active and secreting acids to aid digestion, lying down may cause these acids to rise from the stomach to the esophagus and even the throat in some cases.
This can make you feel bitter, so you may find yourself burping a lot, and it can make it difficult to sleep at night.
gastroesophageal reflux
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when the valve between the stomach and esophagus fails to close properly, which can cause acid to flow back up into the throat, causing a burning sensation.
Lying down and sleeping after eating can cause this condition, which, if not treated and treated immediately, can damage the mucous membranes lining the throat, which in turn can cause other serious complications.
Sleep problems and disorders
Trying to sleep after eating may not give your body the rest it needs. On the contrary, it can cause bloating, gas, and an upset stomach, making you toss and turn a lot while trying to sleep. This is especially evident when eating meals rich in fats and oils, especially before bedtime.
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Some studies have shown that sleeping immediately after eating may increase your risk of a stroke, and that waiting some time after finishing a meal before going to bed may reduce your chances of having a stroke. Researchers disagree about why this happens:
Some suggest that sleeping after eating may increase the risk of sleep apnea, a condition that researchers have linked to stroke.
Others say that digestive problems and disturbances that occur as a result of sleeping after eating can cause an increase in blood pressure, harmful cholesterol, and blood sugar, all of which increase the risk of stroke.
Timing between sleeping and eating
After eating a meal, it's best to wait about 2-4 hours before bedtime, as this gives the body enough time to digest the food and burn some of it, which reduces any stress on the digestive system that may arise as a result of lying down while the digestion process is still in its most important stages.
Snacks you can eat before bed
There are many healthy snacks that will be easier on the digestive system, the most important of which are:
- Warm milk with a little honey.
- cherry.
- Peanut butter.
- Unroasted almonds.
- Low-fat yogurt with fruits.
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