Stimulants & Sleep: Manage your stress

If you’re not doing some form of stress management, you will sabotage all of your best efforts with diet, exercise, and supplements.

Beware of Stimulants

Caffeine is in more than coffee.

Caffeine, whether from coffee, tea or other sources, is a stimulant. Though many people tolerate caffeine well, if you have trouble sleeping, remove caffeine completely for at least 30 days. For some people, even a morning cup of coffee can contribute to difficulty sleeping.

• Most of us know sugar and caffeine in drinks or food can keep us awake—read labels. Even some herbal teas (especially green tea) can be loaded with caffeine. Caffeine can also hide in deserts, so choose wisely if you’re indulging.

• Dark chocolate also contains some caffeine—enough to cause insomnia for some. Try removing dark chocolate from your diet as well during your 30 day trial without caffeine.

• If your sleep doesn’t improve while you’re off caffeine, and doesn’t worsen once you add it back, it might be that caffeine is not contributing to your sleep difficulties. Check with your healthcare practitioner, who may for difficult cases recommend a sleep study.