When it comes to getting better sleep, what you drink matters just as much as what you eat. From throwing off your circadian rhythm to spiking blood sugar or triggering restlessness, certain drinks—especially if you sip them too close to bedtime—can sneakily disrupt your rest. The good news is that understanding how specific ingredients in drinks affect your sleep makes it easier to make simple and intentional swaps that help you wind down smoothly and leave you feeling more refreshed by morning. Read on for the types of drinks to skip at night.
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Madison Reeder, RD, registered dietitian and director of clinical operations at ModifyHealth
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Amy Davis, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian and nutrition consultant at Live Conscious
Caffeinated Drinks
Caffeinated drinks like coffee, black and green tea, and energy drinks disrupt sleep by blocking adenosine, a compound that gradually builds up in your brain throughout the day and nudges your body toward sleep, explains Madison Reeder, RD, registered dietitian. “When caffeine steps in, it essentially delays that ‘time to wind down’ signal,” she says. Without that signal, your brain can stay overly alert, making it harder to reach deep, restorative sleep.
The source of your caffeine matters, too. Coffee tends to pack more caffeine and is absorbed quickly, giving you a stronger, faster jolt, while tea contains L-theanine, which helps balance the stimulating effects. “Energy drinks are a different story,” Reeder says. “Many include added stimulants like guarana or taurine, which can heighten alertness and increase the overall stimulating effect.” While caffeine’s half-life (the time it takes your body to eliminate half of the amount consumed) is about three to seven hours, everyone processes it differently depending on factors like genetics, age, hormone levels, and medications. So if sleep is a concern, Reeder suggests cutting off caffeine by 2 p.m. or earlier.
Decaf Coffee and Tea
Despite what many think, most decaf coffee and tea still contains small amounts of caffeine, typically between two to 15 milligrams per serving, which can interfere with falling or staying asleep—especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine. “If better sleep is the goal, it’s worth treating decaf options like ‘low caffeine’ drinks and enjoying them earlier in your day,” Reeder says.
Sugary Drinks
Drinks high in sugar, whether naturally occurring like in fruit juice or added, like in sweetened iced tea or hot chocolate, can cause a quick spike in blood glucose followed by a sharp drop, known as reactive hypoglycemia. “That sudden drop signals your body to release stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to bring your blood sugar back up,” Reeder explains. “These hormones can leave you feeling restless, wake you in the middle of the night, or make your sleep feel lighter and less restorative.”
Sugar can also interfere with your body’s melatonin production, the body’s natural sleep hormone, and can increase nighttime bathroom trips. For a better night’s rest, Reeder suggests cutting off sugary drinks three to four hours before bedtime to give your body time to digest, absorb, and stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels before winding down. “If you tend to be more sensitive to sugar or experience crashes easily, giving yourself even more time—closer to five or six hours—can make a noticeable difference in how well you sleep,” she says.
Alcoholic Drinks
Alcohol may seem to help you fall asleep faster due to its sedative effect, which slows brain activity and creates a sense of relaxation, making you feel more ready for bed. But as your body starts to process the alcohol, it disrupts REM sleep, the stage that supports emotional regulation, memory, and mood. “As blood alcohol levels drop, your body may release stress hormones like cortisol, which can lead to waking up in the middle of the night or feeling hot, restless or wide awake too early,” Reeder says.
How alcohol affects your sleep depends on more than just the type of drink. “Drinking on an empty stomach leads to faster absorption and a stronger impact—something to be mindful of if you’re trying to support better rest and recovery,” Reeder adds. Spirits like whiskey or vodka are often absorbed more quickly, while beer and wine metabolize more slowly. “If the drink also contains added sugar—like a sweet wine or a mixed cocktail—it can raise your blood sugar quickly and then cause it to crash, which may increase the chances of waking up in the middle of the night or feeling restless,” Reeder explains.
Carbonated Drinks
While everyone reacts differently to the fizz from carbonated drinks like sodas and sparkling water, carbonation can cause bloating and added pressure on the stomach, which isn’t ideal when you’re lying down. “This discomfort can interrupt sleep—even if the drink is free from caffeine and sugar,” explains Amy Davis, RDN, LDN, registered dietitian. For most, the caffeine and sugar in those drinks pose the biggest sleep challenges, but if you’re prone to reflux, it might be worth skipping the bubbles altogether.
Acidic Drinks
Sipping acidic beverages like lemonade, orange juice, and kombucha close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep. Davis suggests diluting these drinks with water, swapping them for hot or chilled herbal tea, or drinking water infused with fruits like cucumber. Lying down soon after consuming something acidic increases the risk of heartburn or acid reflux, especially if you’re prone to these issues. “To reduce the risk of reflux, avoid acidic drinks at least two to three hours before bed,” Davis says.
The Bottom Line
These drinks aren’t inherently bad and are often part of the routines that bring comfort and joy to our day. The key isn’t cutting them out, but rather understanding how they affect our sleep. “It’s about being more intentional with when and how you enjoy them,” Reeder says. “Small shifts, like having your last coffee earlier in the day, pairing alcohol with a meal, or skipping sweetened drinks in the evening, can make a meaningful difference in how rested and refreshed you feel the next morning.”
Read the original article on Real Simple