By Amy Boyd MSS, LSW


1. Sleep only as much as you need to feel rested during the following day.
Stretching out your sleep is not a good idea. Oversleeping weakens the power of sleep to leave you feeling refreshed. It also resets your natural "biological clock". By oversleeping, you are likely to have trouble sleeping the next night.

2. Keep a regular schedule.
Keep as regular a sleep schedule as is reasonably possible by going to bed and getting up at the same time both weekdays and weekends. This will help you to develop a regular sleep-wake rhythm.

3. Do not work at falling asleep.
When sleep does not overtake you, don't force it. This just creates anxiety that keeps you awake. Get out of bed and do something different for a while. Return to bed when you feel drowsy.

4. Reduce unwanted noise and light in your room.
Airplanes, car traffic, and unwanted music and light can disturb and even lighten your sleep if they don't wake you. You may want to investigate ways to minimize the unwanted sounds in your bedroom. Ear plugs or even a low-level background sound may be helpful.

5. Keep your bedroom at a temperature in the comfortable zone for you.
A too-warm or too-cold room can disturb and interrupt your sleep.

6. Do not go to bed hungry.
A light snack before bedtime may help you fall asleep, as well as prevent hunger pangs that can wake you during the night. But don't overeat before you go to bed, either. Indigestion can wake you up, too.

7. In the evening, do not drink beverages that contain caffeine.
Even if you don't feel it, caffeine whether from coffee, tea, colas, or chocolate-disturbs your sleep.

8. Do not have a "nightcap"
Although alcohol at bedtime can help a tense person fall asleep, the sleep is less sound. Nightcaps can actually cause you to awaken in the middle of the night. Also, alcohol at night can make you feel groggy the next morning. This includes many of the over-the-counter cold preparations that contain alcohol.

9. Try not to smoke in the evening.
Though tobacco does calm the nicotine-dependent person, it also acts as a stimulant that can disturb sleep.

10. Exercise every day.
Occasional exercise may not improve your sleeping. Regular exercise, however, has been shown to deepen sleep-but don't exercise strenuously within 2 hours of bedtime.

11. Try to lead an active life.
Your level of daytime activity influences your sleep-wake rhythm. Being active during the day and doing things that you find enjoyable can help you sleep better.

12. Talk to a Healthcare Professional
If you continue to have trouble sleeping, talk to your healthcare professional.