Most people think insomnia starts in the brain, but for many adults, especially busy professionals running on stress and caffeine, insomnia actually starts on the plate.

     Not with sugar bombs or fast food (we already expect those to be a problem) but with “healthy,” convenient, or everyday foods that quietly inflame the body, overstimulate the nervous system, and keep cortisol elevated long after you’re supposed to be asleep. 

     The thing is, chronic inflammation doesn’t just disrupt sleep. Over time, it increases the risk of ER visits, cardiac events, blood sugar crashes, anxiety spirals, and exhaustion so severe it mimics illness. 

     So let’s talk about the 5 foods no one warns you about:

1. “Healthy” Vegetable Oils (Canola, Soybean, Sunflower, Corn Oil)

     These oils are everywhere: meal prep services, protein bars, salad dressings, even hospital food. Why they’re a problem?

     They're extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids, promote systemic inflammation when not balanced with omega-3s, and increase prostaglandins that stimulate pain, restlessness, and poor sleep. At night, this inflammation raises cortisol, disrupts melatonin release, and keeps your body in fight-or-flight mode. 

     You may feel: wired but tired, hot at night, restless legs or racing thoughts. Long term? Chronic inflammation + poor sleep increases hospitalization risk from metabolic and cardiovascular stress.

2. Protein Bars & Shakes with Artificial Sweeteners

     These are marketed as “clean fuel”, but many contain: sucralose, acesulfame potassium, and/or sugar alcohols. Check the label. Why they sabotage sleep?

     They disrupt gut bacteria (your gut produces neurotransmitters like serotonin), they trigger insulin spikes without nourishment, and increase nighttime hunger and anxiety.

     Furthermore, an inflamed gut = inflamed brain, this is why some people: wake up at 2–4 a.m, feel shaky, anxious, or nauseous, and/or a visit to the nearest urgent care convinced that something is “wrong”.

3. Sometimes, it's nutritional inflammation.

     This one shocks people. A plate of chicken breast and vegetables looks healthy, but at night, it can be inflammatory. Why?

     Well, protein alone stimulates cortisol, meaning no carbs = no serotonin precursor, no fats = unstable blood sugar. The thing is our brain needs safety signals to sleep, and without them, it stays alert. 

     This pattern is common in people who train hard, diet aggressively, and/or work long shifts (especially healthcare & night workers). Over time, this leads to adrenal exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and increased ER visits for fatigue, palpitations, or dizziness.

4. Oatmeal, Granola, or “Wholesome” Cereals

     Oats are healthy.

     For some people, at the right time. But for others, they spike blood sugar, trigger insulin crashes, and promote nighttime cortisol rebounds. If your inflammation is already high, your body interprets this as stress, not nourishment. The result?

     Waking up alert and hungry, and needing caffeine to function the next day. That cycle alone increases hospitalization risk from burnout and metabolic instability.

5. Coffee… 

     This one hurts, but it matters. If your body is inflamed; caffeine lingers longer, adenosine clearance gets impaired, and cortisol stays elevated into the night. 

     So even a 10 a.m. coffee can delay deep sleep, reduce REM, and increase nighttime inflammation. In other words, sleep debt compounds, inflammation compounds, and eventually, the body taps out.

The Real Problem Isn’t Just Inflammatory Foods

     It’s eating the wrong foods for your nervous system at the wrong time of day. The simple truth is, some foods inflame you, some stabilize you, and some give you clean energy without sacrificing sleep. 

     And here’s the part most people miss: The foods that cause insomnia for one person may give energy to another. That’s exactly why generic advice fails.

     But before you cut everything out, before you blame stress, before another sleepless night, there’s one step that changes everything: Understanding how your body responds to inflammatory vs. stabilizing foods.

     That’s exactly what the next step is designed to do.

About Me

I know what it's like to feel drained, sluggish and frustrated with food; trying to eat better but always falling into the same cycle of confusion, cravings and exhaustion. Nutrition isn't just about knowing what's "healthy"; it's about making it work in real life _ when you're busy and overwhelmed.

With years of knowledge in nutrition and a passion for making it simple, I've helped people break free from diet confusion and fuel their bodies in a way that actually fits their lifestyle.