But don't go to bed too hungry, either. Going many hours without food causes the release of a hormone called glucagon, which sends a signal to let more sugar into the bloodstream. People with anxiety disorders might be especially sensitive to that effect and thus might want to be conscientious about not going to bed with a rumbling stomach. A two-tablet dose of Extra Strength Excedrin, for example, contains 130 milligrams of caffeine, while Anacin contains 64 milligrams. Ingredients in cold medicines such as ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine also act as stimulants.
Prescription drugs can take a toll on sleep, too.
Bronchodilators used by asthma patients contain some of the same ingredients as cold preparations, and diuretics swallowed too close to bedtime can keep you running to the bathroom into the night. Antidepressants such as Prozac as well as over-medication with thyroid drugs could cause sleeplessness, as can migraine drugs like Cafergot and Wigraine. Valerian, purported to reduce the time it takes to get to sleep, has been approved as a sedative in Canada, England, France, Switzerland and several other countries. But clearly it's not a panacea. They're still coming to the clinic.