6 ways to eat and drink your way to a better sleep

Falling asleep quickly sounds like one of the most natural and easiest things to do, but for many people it's one of life's greatest challenges. The good news is there are some simple tricks to help you fall, and stay, asleep.

Enjoy your dinner — just be sure you eat it at least two hours before bedtime and make sure it's a light supper. You'll want to steer clear of spicy foods and fatty foods since they can cause heartburn and acid reflux, which might disrupt your sleep.

Overweight people often have blocked air passages due to excess tissue in the throat area. This blockage can result in sleep apnea and snoring, which can disrupt sleep. Consider how you can drop a few pounds and improve your overall health.

Avoid cheese, tomatoes and sugar before bedtime. They all contain large amounts of tyramine, which triggers a substance that stimulates the brain, creating obstacles to sleep.

Common foods such as honey, turkey, tuna, yogurt, warm milk, bananas and peanuts contain tryptophan, a chemical that helps the body's production of melatonin, a hormone that in turn promotes sleep. Try consuming some before bed for a good night's sleep.

For at least four hours before bedtime, avoid alcohol. It may disrupt your sleep, even if it helps you fall asleep at first.

If you don't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do make yourself some warm milk or hot tea. Staying in bed will just frustrate you and delay sleep even more but these comforting drinks may just relax you enough to put you in a sleep-time mood.

There's no need to toss and turn all night until you fall asleep. Try some of these simple tricks to help you drift off tonight.