Avoid late meals and snacks. A small snack before bed is okay, but don't eat a full meal, spicy foods or a Dagwood sandwich less than three hours before bedtime, says Karl Doghramji, M.D., director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Your rumbling stomach may keep you up for hours or may make your sleep less refreshing. Cut the caffeine. Save your coffee, tea, colas, chocolates and other foods containing caffeine for the morning or early afternoons, says Dr. Doghramji.
Caffeine is a powerful sleep inhibitor that stays in the bloodstream for up to six hours.
Frequent trips to the bathroom can keep you up all night. Forget the nightcap. We all know alcohol will make you drowsy at the drop of a hat. But it also makes you toss and turn in your sleep and changes the pattern of REM and non-REM sleep. You are also more likely to experience frequent brief awakenings throughout the night.