DIET
Overeating, of course, usually leads to obesity, and obesity contributes to sleep apnea. The build up of fat in the throat area cuts off the air passages when you relax making it impossible to breathe.A heavy meal eaten too close to bedtime can cause other problems like gastro-esophageal reflux, more commonly known as heartburn. Even a gassy stomach can cause enough discomfort to keep you awake.
THINGS TO AVOID
If you must have a snack before bed, keep it light. A glass of warm milk or a cup of relaxing herbal tea promotes sleep rather than delaying it. Avoid caffeine, and remember that caffeine comes in many products besides coffee. Chocolate contains caffeine as do most of the cola drinks. Also check the ingredients in your medications. Some of these may contain caffeine. Many of the headache remedies do.Also avoid alcohol. Don't ever use it as a sleeping potion. It may have a sedative effect at first, but as the night wears on, it disrupts your sleep patterns and causes restless sleep and early awakening. You may awaken to, if not a hangover, a sick, lack-of-sleep headache.Smoking is also a stimulant as well as being an irritant to the throat and nasal passages. Try to quit. At least never smoke near bedtime, and certainly not in bed where there is the risk of fire added to the other hazards.
Recreational drugs should also be avoided. You may get to sleep, but you could also end up with wicked nightmares or on a trip someplace where you really don't want to go.
