Experts have revealed some of the surprising foods that you can eat before bed to warm you up.
No one wants to go to bed shivering, but with rising energy prices people may be hesitant to turn the heating on while winding down for the day.
Thankfully, there are some foods that can help you tuck into bed feeling a little warmer - although there are also foods that will make you feel colder which you should avoid.
A sleep expert from Bed Kingdom commented: "It’s that time of the year where switching the heating on is essential, but with the price of energy at the minute, it’s no doubt that many people across the UK will be avoiding doing so.
"Fortunately, there are some ways to heat up without having to add more money to the energy bill, one of these being with certain foods to eat before heading to bed."
Foods that help you stay warm before bed
Having nuts before bed, such as peanuts, almonds, and pistachios, can increase the speed of your metabolism which may raise your body heat, therefore warming you up for bed.
And it’s no coincidence that cinnamon is associated with winter – thanks to its thermogenic properties that increase our body’s heat when it’s cold, it’s perfect to consume before bed. Meanwhile, ginger will make sure your blood vessels are relaxed which contributes to an increased blood flow.
Oats are another beneficial pre-sleep food that slowly break down in your body due to being high in bran and fibre, and this slow digestion releases warming energy.
Filled with vitamin B and magnesium, bananas help with the functioning of your thyroid and adrenal glands, thus regulating your body temperature in the cold weather.
Being a root vegetable, carrots cause your body to heat up due to the necessity for more energy during digestion.
Cooling foods to avoid before bed
While there are several foods that can keep you toasty, there are others that will do quite the opposite – so when you’re trying to warm up before you go to sleep, there are some foods in particular you should try to avoid.
- Water-rich fruit and vegetables are known to cool the body, including watermelon, peaches, oranges, celery, and cucumber.
- Berries are alkaline, meaning that they generate cold energy and release excess body heat.
- Spicy foods such as jalapenos and cayenne peppers surprisingly make us cooler by activating a nerve receptor in our tongue that can recognise heat, thus causing us to sweat and cool us down.
- Leafy green vegetables such as kale and cabbage might be healthy, but it’s best to avoid these before bed due to their cooling effect on the body.
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