Xavier's Weblog

Caffeine: Caffeine has a "quarter-life" of 10 to 12 hours. If you drink a cup of coffee at noon, 25% of that caffeine is still active in your brain at midnight. Cut off caffeine 10 to 12 hours before bed.
Alcohol: It is a sedative, not a sleep aid. It knocks out your cortex but prevents natural sleep. Alcohol heavily fragments your sleep, triggers your "fight or flight" nervous system, and completely blocks REM (dream) sleep, which is vital for emotional health and testosterone production.
Food: You can eat up to 1 hour before bed, but avoid simple sugars (which raise your core body temperature and keep you awake) and spicy foods (which cause acid reflux). Stick to slow-releasing complex carbs and proteins.