If you’ve ever laid awake after enjoying a late-night treat or caffeinated drink, then you know that what you consume and when can seriously impact your slumber.

Check out this guide to the correlation between diet and sleep to help you enjoy a better night’s rest.

What you eat or drink

There are a variety of foods that can affect the duration and quality of your sleep. For instance, caffeine and sugar can stimulate your mind, making it more difficult to drift off or stay asleep. Meanwhile, spicy and hearty meals can cause discomfort like indigestion or heartburn, potentially keeping you up. Though you don’t have to avoid these foods entirely, you may want to manage your intake to better ensure that you wake up feeling rested and refreshed.

When you eat or drink Regardless of what you consume, eating a large meal close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep cycle, whether by giving you a boost of energy or upsetting your stomach. Additionally, lying down shortly after eating may result in acid reflux. To avoid these issues, aim to enjoy dinner at least three hours before turning in. You may also want to cut back on your fluids as bedtime nears—for instance, alcohol can lead to fragmented sleep, while too much water may awake you for a midnight bathroom trip.

Ideal bedtime snacks

If you do feel hungry before hitting the hay, choose light snacks with an antioxidant like apigenin or nutrients like magnesium and tryptophan to curb your hunger and help promote decent slumber. Good options include:

• Almonds or walnuts
• A banana
• Chamomile tea
• Low-sugar yogurt

A good night’s sleep doesn’t have to be hard to achieve. Make a few adjustments to your eating and drinking habits, and you may notice a world of difference.