Drinking caffeine may help get you through the afternoon slump, but you really shouldn’t drink it after 12 p.m., according to an expert. Sleep for Health Managing Director Dr. Carmel Harrington says that consuming coffee later in the day can be detrimental to your sleep at night. She says you should stop drinking caffeine after noon, and it’s “especially important if you are in the over 35 group because as we age, our metabolic rate slows so the coffee that didn’t affect our sleep when we are younger could certainly be doing so now.” She adds that one hour before bed you should turn off all technology, dim the lights in the room, and “reach for sleep-inducing essential oils like lavender oil or In Essence Sleep Blend.” She says relaxation is the key to a good night’s sleep, and you should take a hot shower or bath and read before bed.