Put down that drink

 

Welcome to part VI, the last in our series on getting you the best possible sleep you can manufacture. (Spoiler alert: Look out for a bonus edition on the pros and cons of napping coming soon.)   Hopefully you're already feeling the benefit of your sleep routine, of making your bedroom dark, cool, quiet and screen-free. But don't quit while you're ahead, or while you're still continuing to improve your vital sleep. We have one last challenge for you that will help the cause.   It has to do with your eating habits. "Hey," you may be arguing to the screen you're reading off of, "I didn't sign up for a better eating newsletter!" That's true, but we have a great one for you if you're interested: Eat, But Better: Mediterranean Style.   However, not only will getting good sleep improve your eating habits, but eating better improves your sleep. It's a fluffy, yawn-inducing virtuous circle pillow. Keep reading to find out what to avoid consuming for better sleep.

what not to eat and drink Adobe Stock The food and drinks to avoid don't apply just the hour or so before bed. Start avoiding caffeine starting midafternoon and at least six hours before bed -- that means coffee, tea, many sodas and chocolate -- to allow the effects to wear off in plenty of time.   Alcohol is another no-no. You may think it helps you doze off, but you are more likely to wake in the night as your body begins to process the spirits. It's truly a myth that a drink will help you sleep better at night.   Heavy and spicy foods should also be avoided. They may give you heartburn or other digestive issues and affect your ability to get and stay asleep. Protein is especially hard to digest, so if you have to eat late, opt for lighter fare.   And temporarily skip dessert too for the challenge. Studies show sugar is linked to restless, disturbed sleep.   If you want a light snack before bed, that's OK. Try snacks containing high amounts of tryptophan, an amino acid that is converted in the body to sleep-promoting hormones. Good choices are egg whites, soybeans, low-fat cheese, chicken and seeds, such as pumpkin or sesame.

sleepy facts Although many people believe it, tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey, doesn't actually make you sleepy because the amount isn't very high and is canceled out by other amino acids in the bird. Tryptophan does increase serotonin levels, though, and that has been shown to decrease depression, irritability and anxiety.    did you know? On average, richer people sleep better than poor people. In part this is due to money anxiety being a leading cause of insomnia.   healthy hint Sleep deprivation will adversely affect you faster than food deprivation. If you fasted for five days, you'd be hungry, weak and thinner, but unless you were malnourished to start, you'd be fine. Go without sleep for five days and you are likely to start hallucinating.

quote of the day "I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake." -- Ernest Hemingway

quirky sleep solution The mindfulness and meditation app Headspace has free "sleepcasts," 45-minute or so audio guides that help you visualize calming experiences, like walking through a sleepy town or hanging out by a desert campfire.

lullabuy agencies/Adobe Stock Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, recommend keeping next to your bed a canister of something else you shouldn't eat: earplugs. Of the ones on the market, they like the bestselling Mack's Ultra Soft Foam for their comfort.

nighty night We have one more bonus edition coming to you, on the risks and rewards of napping.   But before we close out this series on getting better sleep and why it's so important, let me add that the causes of sleep problems can be manifold and some quite serious.   The suggestions in the series can help many people, dramatically, but if you experience sleep apnea (a potentially harmful sleep condition in which people stop breathing for brief periods throughout the night), or restless legs syndrome (in which your legs move frequently during the night), sleepwalking (in which you manage to get past your body's restrictions and walk around while asleep), or chronic insomnia (where you go without sleep for hours in the night, even after this course of challenges), you should talk to a professional for more intervention options. Serious causes of sleep deprivation call for serious remedies. Don't put it off, please.   We hope you're sleeping like a baby (if babies actually slept soundly though the night) and if you didn't really work on one of the previous challenges, consider going back and trying again. The only thing you have to lose is more sleep.