You've got a pretty good idea of what foods can put you to sleep, but there's another list of vittles to avoid. If you're looking for a good eight hours of shut-eye, steer clear of these around bedtime:

Caffeine is the first and most obvious to avoid, and, frankly, if you pour yourself a cup of Joe right before bedtime you deserve what's coming to you. But caffeine is not always an obvious ingredient in that night-time snack. Chocolate, and many sodas, for example, are full of the stay-awake drug.  Many medications, including pain relievers, diuretics, weight loss pills, and cold meds also contain caffeine – be sure to get the low-down on the ingredients from your doctor or pharmacist. For a better night's sleep, avoid any caffeine less than six hours away from bedtime.

Spicy food is something else to avoid before bedtime. It's not that the chili peppers and Tabasco sauce by themselves will keep you awake, but they are liable to cause heartburn. Researchers have also noted that after eating spicy meals we are prone to elevated body temperatures during our first sleep cycles, which have been linked in other studies to poorer sleep quality.

For many Americans, and even more Europeans, alcohol is big component of your night life. You may even think that it will help you fall asleep faster – and if you drink too much of it, it surely will. The problem is that, although it may drop you into a deep sleep early on,  the metabolizing of the alcohol during the later part of your sleep phase will result in disruption. And it's not just about alcohol: many people will have their sleep disrupted by any liquids they consume after 8pm.

Don't eat acid before bedtime. Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Until you remember that foods like pizza, with its tomato topping, and orange juice, are both very acidic. The problem is that acidic foods frequently can trigger heartburn.

Sugar, never a good idea most of the time when you are trying to maintain a healthy lifesstyle, is even more of an anchor around your neck at bedtime. Candy bars, sugary cereals and the like can all cause your blood sugar to spike, which in turn can cause a disruption in your sleep.