12 Foods That Are Quietly Sabotaging Your Sleep Quality

3. Large, Raw Cruciferous Vegetables (Late): The Gut's Gaseous Protest

While undeniably healthy, consuming large, raw portions of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, or cabbage close to bedtime can be a sleep saboteur for many. Their high fiber content, combined with unique sulfur compounds, can lead to significant gas and bloating during digestion. This internal discomfort and pressure on the diaphragm make it incredibly difficult to relax and find a comfortable sleeping position, turning your healthy dinner into a noisy, restless night.

4. Energy Drinks (Beyond Caffeine): The Hidden Stimulant Cocktail

Beyond the obvious caffeine, energy drinks are cunning sleep saboteurs due to their cocktail of other stimulants. Ingredients like taurine, guarana, and high doses of B vitamins (like B6 and B12) can profoundly elevate alertness and disrupt the body's natural sleep signals, even hours after consumption. These drinks are ingeniously designed to deliver sustained energy, but their lingering effects prevent natural melatonin production and relaxation, turning your evening into an unintended, sleepless battle against hyper-stimulation.