The effect of sleeping immediately after eating

When you get home after a stressful day, all you just want is to have a little something in your stomach and jump right into bed afterwards.

For some others, having a little snacks after dinner is a ritual. As you're about to discover in this article, eating before bed can cause bigger problems than hunger pains. You may have heard the advice/warning against eating at night because it’s bad for your digestion and weight.

If you have made eating right before bed a habit, you might want to stop it after seeing its effect on your health.

Sleeping immediately after eating is likely to cause bloating which you won't like [iCloud] effect of eating late iCloud

1. Heartburn

When eat and lie down immediately, you're likely to feel a heartburn. This is because the force of gravity is working with you as you sit or stand while digesting food. The acid in your stomach can leak into your esophagus, causing reflex that makes you feel the burn, thereby, keeping you awake way past your bedtime.

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2. Indigestion

Indigestion is a common issue attached to eating very late. This is because it takes the stomach about 3 hours to empty itself. Consuming certain foods and beverages can make the process lengthier and more arduous, especially if you're lactose-intolerant and have trouble digesting dairy products.

Your eating habits can affect your sleep [iStock] effect of eating late iStock

3. Insomnia

If you have a difficult time falling asleep or staying asleep, pay attention to your eating habits before reaching for the sleeping pills. Certain foods and beverages act as stimulants that force your body into digestive mode as you're trying to revert to sleep mode. Caffeine is an obvious culprit, but so are proteins. Going to bed immediately after a big meal can interrupt sleep as well as give you the bloated feeling. This may keep you from falling asleep and digestive upsets can also wake you up later in the night.