If you don’t mind a bit of chilli in your meal, you should maybe avoid it at dinner time.

Dr Ruchir P. Patel, a sleep medicine doctor and medical director of

The Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona told HuffPost that spicy foods can lead to acid reflux, which can stave off good quality sleep.

“Eating spicy food close to going to bed can cause acid reflux, which can trigger the brain to wake up excessively,” he said.

Not only do spicy foods cause acid reflux, but so does tomato. So, a big Italian dinner may not be on the cards for those of you who suffer from heartburn.

Thankfully, leaving a three-hour window between eating and going to bed, you might avoid having heartburn keep you up at night.

Eating a beefy burger can also affect your sleep quality as beef takes longer for the body to digest, Singh explained.

Dessert lovers despair as eating something high in sugar late in the evening can cause fluctuations in your blood sugar.

Dr Raj Dasgupta, chief medical advisor for Sleep Advisor, told HuffPost, “The high sugar content can cause fluctuations in your blood sugar, cause stomach issues and keep you alert at bedtime, preventing you from relaxing and falling asleep.”

The experts warned against having chocolate or flavoured waters as they contain caffeine, so make sure to check the labels.

But what to eat instead? The experts say to have complex carbs that are high in fibre, like lentils, wholemeal bread, and brown rice, along with lean meats like chicken and fish.