Next time you plan supper, think about having it a little earlier. You could be rewarded with sweet dreams.

That’s the advice of Dr. Maoshing Ni, PhD, author of Second Spring. He notes that late-night dinners may disturb your sleep because they divert your body’s resources to digesting when you need to be resting.

Time for Supper!
Ni suggests eating no later than 7 p.m. to help free up your liver to perform its daily detox duties while you get a good night’s rest. So put aside those work e-mails and get home in time for dinner. Long workdays and an endless list of personal obligations are two of the biggest culprits in erratic mealtimes. Another nifty way to get more sleep: Stretch.

More on Meals
What and when you eat affects not only your sleep but also your energy levels. To help keep energy levels steady throughout the day, Dr. Ni recommends eating five small meals instead of three large ones. And don’t forget to exercise daily. It’s one of the best ways to combat fatigue. Get an intro to the ancient practice of chi-gong in this video.