What foods cause insomnia? Five Foods and Substances Can Cause Anxiety and Insomnia

Before you reach for the medicine cabinet, take a look.
Do you suffer from panic attacks or have trouble sleeping? If so, you may have tried even or stress reduction methods medications, but has anyone ever asked you what you consume? It may surprise you to learn that have the capability to overstimulate your nervous system as powerfully as a stressful life event.

Medications may be helpful in managing your symptoms? If you identify which components in your menu are working against you, you can get control avoid side effects and co-pays, and protect your health from the effects of internal biological strain.

The foods listed below can be compound triggers for anyone when it comes to insomnia and stress. Those at highest risk include people with sensitivities or allergies, women, people over 40, and anyone with conditions affecting the immune or digestive system such as IBS, inflammatory bowel disease, or treatment.

1. Caffeine

Caffeine is a notorious nemesis in anxiety and sleep disorders. In a study of people with anxiety disorder, stress hormone levels increased in all participants and triggered panic attacks in about half of those. By blocking sleep-promoting adenosine receptors in the 12, caffeine keeps you awake. Five hours after drinking caffeine, 50 percent of it stays in your blood and has been shown to impair sleep. It requires a shocking 16 to 24 hours to leave your system. This means that your sleep quality may be affected by even a single morning cup of coffee . To determine if caffeine is your culpritcut back a little each day rather than going cold turkey to minimize withdrawal headaches, fatigue, and concentration problems.
Wku/Pixabay
Source: Wku/Pixabay

2. Nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and goji berries)

Plants in the nightshade family create pesticides called glycoalkaloids, which are intended to kill predators like insects and worms, but are toxic to human cells. These adorable chemical weapons block the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, leading to overstimulation of the nervous system in sensitive people. Anxiety is one of several side effects. Nightshade ingredients in foods include potato starch, chilies, bell peppers, tomato paste, paprika, red pepper flakes and cayenne. Men and women eat nightshades in some form every day, so glycoalkaloids may accumulate in your system over time. It requires at least five days for glycoalkaloids to clear your system, so you will want to eliminate these foods completely for a week or longer to see if they are bothering you. Cooking does not destroy glycoalkaloids, but there are other simple ways to minimize your exposure.
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Skitterphoto/Pixabay
Source: Skitterphoto/Pixabay

3. Alcohol

Alcohol can be very helpful in assisting you to fall asleep and relaxing you. As alcohol starts to burn in the middle of the night, sleep quality suffers. Metabolism varies depending on age, gender, genetic background and other aspects, but the key predictor of how long alcohol remains in your blood is quantity. Normally, each"drink" (1.5-oz shot, 12-oz beer, or 5-oz wine) takes two hours to clean your system: two drinks--four hours, three drinks--six hours, etc.. As alcohol wears off,"mini-withdrawal" effects may vary from restless sleep to bad dreams to full-blown panic attacks. If you're in the habit of drinking every evening, cut to minimize potential for withdrawal, which may worsen anxiety and sleep issues.
klinik/Pixabay
Source: klinik/Pixabay

4. Aged, fermented, cured, smoked, and cultured foods (salami, cheese, sauerkraut, red wine, etc.).

The best way to turn a whole food such as milk, beef, grapes, or cabbage into a gourmet food such as kimchi, brie, merlot, or aged steak is to add bacteria and allow it to ferment. During fermentation, food proteins are broken down by bacteria into tiny molecules called amines, which accumulate as the food ages. The most significant biogenic amine found lurking within aged foods is histamine, a powerful neurotransmitter that can aggravate cardiovascular, hormonal, our digestive, and nervous systems. Histamine causes anxiety and sleeplessness in vulnerable people, partly through its ability to boost levels of adrenaline, our"fight-or-flight" hormone. Histamine is indestructible, so cooking and freezing don't help. This article contains detailed information, including drink tables, and meat, seafood as well as food preparation tips to keep your levels.
Stocksnap/Pixabay
Source: Stocksnap/Pixabay

5. Sugar, Flour, and other Refined Carbohydrates

All sugars and starches, except those that come in the form of a natural food such as a piece of a sweet potato or fruit, are considered carbohydrates.

Popular breakfast foods like orange juice, sweet yogurts, and many cereals are rich in refined carbohydrates which start your day with a blood sugar spike, setting into motion a hormonal chain reaction that can affect your mood, energy, concentration, and appetite for hours. The stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline rush in to stop your blood sugar after insulin spikes to bring your blood sugar down. Since most individuals eat carbohydrates such as bread, chips, or noodles during lunch and dinner they are riding this roller coaster that is invisible 24 hours per day.

In this study, a single serving of a beverage caused adrenaline levels to double in adults and quadruple in kids, after the drink was consumed, not peaking until four hours.

Adrenaline lightheadedness causes anxiety symptoms such as sweating, and palpitations in sensitive folks. These sensations are often mistaken for"hypoglycemia" (low blood glucose) although in most cases, blood glucose does not fall below normal.