The ultimate sleep horrible diet

What if we didn’t need sleep? What if there was a cure for sleep and we could power through our days uninterrupted, blissfully healthy? Look around your life and we’re betting you know some people who think they’ve found the magic formula to no longer needing sleep. They brag about the projects they drill down on while the rest of us snooze – and swallow their yawns with another sip of espresso.

Want to know their secret? They’ve discovered a surreptitious list of foods that keep their need to sleep at bay. Noshing on these foods from sun up to sun down, these energized folks power through their days like the crew from Fast & Furious.

If you want to join the ranks of those-who-must-not-sleep, belly up to the bar – we’ve got what you’re looking for.

1. Coffee. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. We crave it. We guzzle it. Drinking coffee makes us feel good — better able to handle an overbearing boss or an unruly pack of toddlers. But then… we feel guilty about it, suspecting that sooner or later, it’s going to do us in. If tripping the lights fantastic while your family sleeps is on your agenda, consider making coffee your main source of hydration.

2. Bacon. If you love bacon, break out the fry pans and fire up the stove. Foods containing tyramine (bacon, cheese, ham, pepperoni, raspberries avocado, nuts, soy sauce, red wine) trigger the release of norepinephrine, a brain stimulant. Go ahead and order that double-cheese-pepperoni-ham-bacon pizza and party all night long.

3. Wine, beer and all adult beverages. Don’t let your nightly nightcap fool you into thinking you’ll be lulled to sleep. While alcohol is a sedative, your body metabolizes it at lightning speed, which can leave you dehydrated and tossing and turning throughout the night. If powering through the night is your goal, don’t stop 2 hours before you hope to sleep – like your lightweight need-to-sleep buddies.

4. Nicotine. If smoking is your guilty pleasure, you’re in luck. Nicotine is a stimulant, which means it’s engineered to keep you wired and on the edge of your seat. Don’t trouble yourself about heart disease or the other health concerns associated with smoking – they won’t interfere with your not-gonna-sleep-anymore goals.

5. Spicy anything. If your taste buds live on the wild side of spicy, get ready to get happy. Spicy food can cause heartburn, a backflow of food particles and acid from the stomach into the esophagus. Load up on the nachos and wings and don’t skimp on the hot sauce. Feel the burn, baby.

6. Chocolate. Go ahead and indulge your sweet tooth, especially if you crave dark chocolate. All chocolate (even milk chocolate) contains caffeine. The darker the chocolate, the more caffeine – as much as 35% the amount of caffeine found in your average cup of joe. Sweet, right?

7. Steak. Fatty foods might raise your cholesterol and increase your risk for obesity but fatty foods high in protein, like steak, are delish sleep stealers too. They take a long time (and a lot of effort to digest), which keeps your body working hard long after you’ve enjoyed them. Even better, high-fat, high-protein diets have also been linked to sleep apnea.

Any liquid. Have a penchant for soda in the evening? Can’t stop chugging water? Go ahead and let your cup runneth over – the more you drink, the more you’ll wake up your bladder. And we all know how a wide-awake-bladder can keep the rest of your body up. All. Night. Long.

Spend your days and nights grazing on these 8 food groups and you’re guaranteed to enjoy a bounty of sleepless nights. And when you log onto Facebook next, you’ll have your own bragging rights to share with your friends. Sweet, right?

If, on the other hand, you’re actively seeking a good night’s sleep, read our post, “Foods that Help You Sleep Better.” Much sweeter, in our humble opinion.

Rest well & wake up ready to go!

Better sleep gives rise to better mornings, bringing your goals into focus and dreams within reach. Hungry for more sleep info? Dig into these posts: