Super Bowl might be about football to some, but to others, it’s all about the party. And, when I say “party,” I’m referring to food!
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you suffer from sleep issues, so it’s helpful to know what will help you sleep and what will hinder your sleep. Super Bowl LVI kicks off on Sunday afternoon, meaning by the time it ends (Super Bowl LVI end time Eastern: 9:50 p.m. ET, Big Game end time Central: 8:50 p.m. ET, Super Bowl LVI end time Mountain: 7:50 p.m. ET, Big Game end time Pacific: 6:50 p.m. ET), you should normally be either completely finished eating for the day, or close to that time. Most of us, however, will be still eating snacks and drinking beer or soda right up until bedtime on Super Bowl night. And Monday morning will still roll around at the same time!
So, let’s look at some things that will make sleeping even harder on Super Bowl night.
Super Bowl Chili
Before you throw something at the screen, I’m not suggesting avoiding chili altogether. I’m simply saying to put down the chili at least three hours before bedtime.
Spicy foods are more likely to cause heartburn, which will keep you awake with chest pains. By quitting at least three hours before bed, your body has time to digest the chili and you won’t be as likely to suffer from heartburn. (leesa.com)
Beer
Strangely, alcohol can actually help you fall asleep. But staying asleep is an entirely different matter! “Studies looking at the effects of alcohol on sleep have found that alcohol reduces the time required to fall asleep (sleep onset latency), increases the amount of deep sleep, and reduces the amount of REM sleep.” (AlbertaHealth)
Beer is the most popular drink at a Super Bowl party. “According to an article published by Men’s Fitness, Americans drink 325 million gallons of beer (1,230,258,829.8 liters) on Superbowl Sunday.” With this in mind, drinking beer in excess will ruin your sleep because of the alcohol, and also because of the bubbles.
According to Max Bakker, a High-End Master Cicerone for Anheuser-Busch InBev:
“Once you take a sip of beer — especially if you do so directly from the can or bottle — your next bite of food or sip of a drink acts as a nucleation site, meaning the gas trapped in the beer gets released inside your stomach.” (EliteDaily) Unfortunately, the build-up of gas in your stomach will cause uncomfortable side effects once you lie down and could ruin your sleep – and the sleep of anyone else in the room!
READ MORE: RECIPES TO HELP YOU SLEEP BETTER
Chips and Cheese Dip
Chips are salty snacks that cause dehydration, which makes you want to drink more… beer! It also increases water retention as your body tries to remain hydrated and causes fatigue.
“A study at the European Society of Endocrinology found that salty foods, such as crisps and salted nuts, were some of the worst foods to eat before bed as they contributed to disrupted – or “superficial” – sleep. Experts recommend staying away from salty foods at least two to three hours before bed if you need a good sleep.” (Benenden)
Cheese is also a no-no as it contains high levels of Tyramine, which causes the adrenal gland to release the ‘fight or flight’ hormone, which increases alertness for a number of hours. (Benenden)
How Should I Party For Super Bowl?
The party isn’t completely over just yet! There are ways to mitigate your sleep issues and even avoid them altogether, while still indulging as you want (and should!)
- Stop eating and drinking 3 hours before bed.
- Drink water alongside your beer (not in, but along with!) so that you don’t get too dehydrated, and to help your body digest all of those bubbles.
- Eat a meal rather than grazing on snacks. If you’re invited to another house for the party, eat before you go to feel more full and help yourself stay away from snacks.
- Look to the veggie and fruit plate! The “healthier” snacks, like hummus, can be your friend in these situations. If you’re truly worried, maybe you could bring the fruit tray with a yogurt dip.
- Try to make up for any lost sleep on Monday night. Here’s some info on making up for lost sleep: https://advancedhomecareonline.com/what-is-sleep-debt/
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