A glass of warm milk, a cup of chamomile tea, a few slices of tryptophan-laced turkey breast -- a number of foods are at least rumored to help us drift off to sleep. But, besides the obvious (hello, 4 p.m. Starbucks run), could there be foods that are actually keeping us up at night?
For the most part, the research surrounding sleep and diet focuses on how your sleep patterns affect what -- and how much -- you eat, says Kelly Glazer Baron, Ph.D., M.P.H, a sleep researcher and neurology instructor at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. We know that too little sleep clouds our food judgementand that the most sleep-deprived among us are likely to serve ourselves larger portions. We also know that both too little and too much sleep can lead to weight gain, for the reasons above and more.
Still, says Baron, "we've known for a long time that there are foods that promote or inhibit sleep."
Of course, no one food or drink is likely to cure a true sleep disorder, like insomnia. But there are some foods that, when consumed too close to bedtime, could be stealing your slumber. Here are some of the worst offenders.
Worst Foods For Sleep
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Coffee
We probably don't have to explain why you shouldn't reach for an espresso at 10 p.m. But, turns out, your afternoon coffee habit can affect you for longer than you'd expect. In fact, that caffeine can remain in your system for hours, making even a 4 p.m. pick-me-up a bad idea. Baron recommends steering clear by the early afternoon.

And don't forget coffee-flavored treats, she warns. Your favorite cappuccino-flavored ice cream can give you a surprisingly strong jolt.

Of course, you've probably heard that a little tea before bed is a good idea. The caffeine content is smaller than in coffee, and herbal "sleepy time" varieties often contain sleep-promoting herbs like valerian or chamomile that can, indeed, help you nod off.
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