How Holiday Eating Can Affect Your Sleep

Holiday eating habits along with your favorite holiday foods have the potential to negatively affect your rest - and no one wants to lose sleep during this busy time of year. Here are some tips for dealing with those heavy meals so you can get a good night's rest.

Stay away from "saving calories".
Starving yourself during the day might seem like a good idea when you are planning to overeat later on, but showing up to a meal on an empty stomach can result in less self-control over your food choices. Instead, eat regularly scheduled meals and snacks that day and you can still be mindful of building in room for treats later on.

Keep portions small.
Indulging in large meals can make it harder for your body to digest, which means you may have trouble getting to sleep later on. The average meal takes one to three hours to digest, but a large meal can take up to 12 hours. So steer clear of piling food onto your plate and eat only what you're hungry for.

Stop when you're full.
You might think that second serving won't make a difference, but eating more than you should can have consequences on your body and your sleep. Overeating can cause indigestion, gas, bloating, and even gallbladder pain and drowsiness.

Timing.
If you really want to eat that large meal, you should at least do it early enough so your body won't keep you up as it digests. Leave a few hours between the meal and going to bed and try taking a post-dinner walk to promote easier digestion.