Although delicious, ice cream reduces our ability to fall asleep. As culinary nutritionist Jackie Topol explains to Saatva, the sugar in ice cream acts as a stimulant, making it difficult to relax. “Eating a bowl of ice cream before bed can negatively impact sleep because of its high sugar content,” Topol agrees.
In addition, because some people are sensitive to dairy, eating ice cream before bedtime can potentially lead to a stomach ache, resulting in restless sleep (via Eat This, Not That!. However, ice cream is not the only thing that can keep you awake at night. You may have a problem with toppings if you like them. Because chocolate contains ingredients such as caffeine and theobromine, toppings with chocolate can pose a problem. These ingredients keep us awake and alert.
Saatva says that there are other ways to satisfy your sweet tooth, which won’t affect our sleep cycles. Try reaching for a frozen banana when you get the urge. You can make it into a smoothie by blending it. A tart cherry smoothie is another option. They are nutritious and contain melatonin which promotes sleep.