10 Inflammatory Foods That Can Disrupt Your Sleep

More people than ever are searching for ways to sleep better, and it's not hard to see why. One rough night leaves you groggy and unfocused. But string together several bad nights, and the effects go deeper. Poor sleep fuels inflammation in your body, raising your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and a weakened immune system.

The connection works both ways. Inflammatory foods can disrupt your sleep, and poor sleep increases inflammation. Breaking that cycle starts with what's on your plate. 

Here are 10 inflammatory foods that may be keeping you up and what to eat instead.

1. Added sugars

Added sugar is one of the most common dietary triggers for inflammation, and it's hiding in more foods than you'd expect. When you eat a lot of it, your blood sugar spikes rapidly, and your body treats that spike as a form of stress—releasing compounds that, over time, contribute to chronic low-grade inflammation.

For sleep, sugar causes problems both immediately and long-term. Eating sugary foods in the evening can lead to blood sugar crashes a few hours later, waking you up, or making your sleep restless. Sugar can also trigger acid reflux and leave you feeling wired when you're trying to wind down.

The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar to 25 grams daily for women and 36 grams for men. The tricky part? Sugar shows up in foods that don't even taste sweet—sauces, dressings, yogurts, and "healthy" snacks can all push you over the limit without realizing it.

Common sources: Candy, baked goods, flavored yogurt, granola bars, ketchup, barbecue sauce, salad dressings, and most packaged snacks.

2. Refined carbs

White bread, white rice, and most breakfast cereals are made from refined grains. The refining process strips out fiber and nutrients, leaving simple carbohydrates that spike your blood sugar almost as fast as pure sugar—triggering the same inflammatory response.

Refined carbs also affect your gut bacteria. Your microbiome thrives on fiber, and when it doesn't get enough, the bacterial balance shifts in ways that promote inflammation. Since gut bacteria play a role in producing sleep-related neurotransmitters, this disruption can affect your rest.

Whole grains contain fiber that slows digestion and feeds beneficial gut bacteria. The difference in how your body responds to whole wheat bread versus white bread is significant.

Common sources: White bread, bagels, crackers, pretzels, white pasta, white rice, pizza dough, and sweetened or low-fiber cereals.

3. Fried foods

Frying food at high temperatures creates inflammatory compounds called oxidation products—especially when oils are reused, which is standard in restaurants and fast food kitchens. The process also increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are linked to inflammation and oxidative stress.

For sleep, fried foods are heavy and slow to digest, leaving you uncomfortable at bedtime. They're also a common trigger for acid reflux. The inflammatory load from eating them regularly adds up.

This doesn't mean you can never have French fries. But if fried foods are a regular part of your diet, they may be contributing to sleep issues you haven't traced back to your meals.

Common sources: French fries, fried chicken, doughnuts, onion rings, tempura, and most fast food.

4. Processed meats

Bacon, hot dogs, sausage, and deli meats are among the foods most consistently linked to higher inflammation in research. They're preserved through curing, smoking, salting, or chemical additives—and they're usually high in sodium and saturated fat.

People who eat more processed meat tend to have higher levels of inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, even after accounting for body weight and overall diet quality. The World Health Organization classifies processed meat as carcinogenic, with inflammation being one proposed mechanism.

The high sodium content can also affect blood pressure and fluid balance, which some people notice as poorer sleep quality.

Common sources: Bacon, sausage, hot dogs, ham, deli meats, pepperoni, and jerky.

5. Trans fats

Trans fats are the most harmful type of fat for your health. They raise LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, and directly promote inflammation.

The FDA determined that trans fats aren't safe and required manufacturers to remove them from foods. But they haven't disappeared entirely—older products, foods from smaller manufacturers, and imports may still contain them. Small amounts also occur naturally in meat and dairy.

When reading labels, look for "partially hydrogenated oil" in the ingredients—that's trans fat, even if the nutrition label says 0 grams.

Common sources: Some margarines, shortening, packaged baked goods, microwave popcorn, frozen pizza, and non-dairy creamers.

Also Read: Non-Prescription Remedies for Better Sleep

6. Alcohol

A drink might help you fall asleep faster, but alcohol makes your sleep worse overall.

Alcohol suppresses REM sleep during the first half of the night, the restorative stage important for memory and emotional processing. Then, as your body metabolizes it, you're more likely to wake up or sleep lightly in the second half. It also relaxes your airway muscles (worsening snoring or sleep apnea) and acts as a diuretic.

Heavy drinking clearly raises inflammatory markers. But even one or two drinks close to bedtime can noticeably reduce sleep quality.

If you do drink, try stopping at least 3-4 hours before bed.

Also Read: This Common Habit Makes Insomnia Worse

7. Seed oils high in omega-6

Your body needs both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids—they're both essential. The issue is balance.

Most Western diets are heavy on omega-6 fats (from soybean, corn, and sunflower oils) and light on omega-3s (from fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseed). Some researchers believe this imbalance creates a more pro-inflammatory environment. Others suggest the ratio matters less than simply getting enough omega-3s.

The practical takeaway: rather than obsessing over eliminating seed oils, focus on adding more omega-3-rich foods to your diet.

Common sources of omega-6: Soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, and most packaged and restaurant-prepared foods.

8. Artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners were marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar—all the sweetness, none of the calories. But newer research suggests they may not be as metabolically neutral as once thought.

Some studies have found that artificial sweeteners can alter gut bacteria composition and affect blood sugar responses, though these effects vary significantly from person to person. This matters for sleep because your gut bacteria play a role in producing neurotransmitters and regulating immune function.

If you're dealing with sleep issues and consume a lot of artificial sweeteners, it may be worth cutting back to see if it helps.

Common sources: Diet sodas, sugar-free candy and gum, light yogurts, protein bars, and "no-added-sugar" packaged foods.

9. Ultra-processed snacks

Chips, packaged cookies, and snack cakes don't just contain one inflammatory ingredient—they combine several. Refined carbs, added sugars, seed oils, artificial additives, and excessive sodium often show up together.

These foods are engineered for "hyperpalatability"—the perfect combination of salt, sugar, and fat that makes you want to keep eating. Research consistently shows that people who eat more ultra-processed foods have higher inflammatory markers, even after accounting for total calories and body weight.

For sleep, ultra-processed diets are associated with worse quality through multiple pathways: blood sugar disruption, nutrient deficiencies, and cumulative inflammatory load.

Common sources: Chips, packaged cookies, snack cakes, cheese puffs, candy bars, most granola bars, and instant noodles.

10. Sugary drinks

Sugary drinks deserve their own category because they're such concentrated sources of added sugar—and remarkably easy to overconsume.

A typical 12-ounce soda contains 32 to 39 grams of sugar, often from high-fructose corn syrup. That exceeds the American Heart Association's daily limit in a single serving. And liquid calories don't trigger the same fullness signals as solid food, so you can drink hundreds of calories without feeling satisfied.

People who drink more sugary beverages consistently have higher levels of inflammatory markers. For sleep, they cause blood sugar swings that lead to restlessness or nighttime waking. When they contain caffeine—like colas or energy drinks—the stimulant effect adds another layer of disruption.

Common sources: Soda, sweetened fruit drinks, fruit juice, sweet tea, energy drinks, flavored coffee drinks, and sports drinks.

Simple swaps to reduce inflammation

Cutting back on inflammatory foods is half the equation. The other half is eating foods that actively lower inflammation and support your body's sleep-wake cycle.

The Mediterranean diet is the most studied anti-inflammatory eating pattern, emphasizing whole, minimally processed foods. Research consistently links it to lower inflammatory markers and better sleep. For a deeper dive on specific sleep-promoting foods and when to eat them, see our guide to the best foods for sleep.

In the meantime, these simple swaps can help reduce your inflammatory load:

Supporting better sleep naturally

Dietary changes take time to show results. The inflammatory effects of years of eating habits don't reverse in a week. While you're working on long-term improvements, additional support can help.

Sip2Sleep® combines Montmorency tart cherry extract with Rafuma leaf extract, a plant-based ingredient that promotes relaxation. The tart cherry provides anti-inflammatory anthocyanins and supports your body's natural melatonin production. Rafuma leaf extract helps calm mental tension by supporting healthy serotonin activity.

Unlike synthetic melatonin, which can cause grogginess and may lose effectiveness over time, this combination works with your body's natural sleep-wake cycle. It's designed for people who are making the right changes but still struggling to get the rest they need.