Well, I am here because I can't sleep and in the process picked up a "Fitness" magazine and this issue just happens to talk about sleep.

I thought I would list out the 5 Sleep-Better Diet Tricks as noted in the magazine.

1. Skip Caffeine after 2 p.m.. It stays in your system for seven hours.

2. Don't overindulge at happy hour. Alcohol may kock you out, but it disrupts slow-wave and REM sleep, says sleep specialists Kathryn Lee, PH.D. Limit yourself to two drinks, and stop at least three hours before bedtime.

3. Never go to bed to hungry or too full. Hunger can mean you'll toss and turn as well as spend less time in restorative slow-wave sleep, says Lee. Yet you don't want to be stuffed either; this causes spikes in blood suger levels and body temperature that can make falling asleep more difficult. It also promotes heartburn, which can wake you up several times during the night, says Lee. Have your last meal at least four hours before bed.

4. Eat a high-protein snack. An hour before bed, have a small amount of fish, turkey, dairy products, walnuts or other foods rich in the amino acid tryptophan. It helps your brain make the sleep-inducing chemicals melatonin and serotonin says sleep expert Joyce Washington, Ph.D.

5. Get enough calcium and magnesium. Calcium has a slight sedative effect, and magnesium may work as a mild muscle relaxant, says Walsleben. Try taking a cominbation supplement of these two minerals in the evening, but be sure your daily total from food and supplements doesn't exceed 1,200 milligrams for calcium and 400 mg for magnesium.

(FITNESS MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2004 ISSUE. PAGE 164. ARTICLE BY LIZ KRIGER)