A new study finds associations between the type and amount of food you eat and how much sleep you get:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/07/diet-affects-sleep-patterns-nutrition_n_2632004.html

I know that I tend to eat more when I don't get enough sleep. It's late, I feel weak. Either I go to bed and fall asleep, or I find myself reaching for another snack. If I push myself past my "sleepy point" then I'll need a snack to be able to fall asleep later, but I'll still need to wait until then next "window" when I'm able to fall asleep. Too much stress at 8:00 PM (such as kids resisting bedtime, or deciding that NOW is a good time to ask me for homework help) will keep me from being able to fall asleep at 9:00 PM, and then I won't be able to sleep until midnight. I'll probably end up eating another meal's worth of calories during that time as well.

Interesting! I too sleep seven to eight hours but I eat at least two hours before bed.