Late night snacks that won’t keep you awake

Few jobs place as much emphasis on getting proper sleep as trucking. And, few jobs make it harder to keep to a reasonable meal schedule. Combine those facts with the demands of some late night driving and you have a recipe for midnight snacks that can cause problems when you stop to rest.

If you do find yourself hungry in the middle of the night, there are, according to the folks at Fix.org,  some foods to avoid:

• “Sugary foods can make your blood sugar spike and crash, which can lead to waking up in the middle of the night.
• “Spicy food can cause indigestion and discomfort, while fatty and oily foods take longer to digest.
• “Caffeine is a more obvious stimulant, but in addition to watching things like coffee intake too close to bed, dark chocolate, green tea, and other foods/drinks also contain caffeine.
• “Many people believe a “night cap” can make us drowsier, but drinking alcohol before sleeping can lead to waking up in the middle of the night.”

If you can’t avoid your need for a snack after dark:

• Keep the portions small
• Leave time for digestion
• Choose foods with complex carbohydrates
• Eat a little protein

Source: Fix.com Blog