Don't go to bed hungry!

Avoid bright light around the house before bed. Using dimmer switches in living rooms and bathrooms before bed can be helpful. (Dimmer switches can be set to maximum brightness for morning routines.)
Don't stress if you feel you are not getting enough sleep. It will just make matters worse. Know you will sleep eventually.
Avoid exercise near bedtime. No exercise at least 3 hours before bed.
Don't go to bed hungry. Have a light snack, avoid a heavy meal before bed.
Bedtime routines are helpful for good sleep. Keep routines on your normal schedule. A cup of herbal tea an hour before bed can begin a routine.
Avoid looking at the clock if you wake up in the middle of the night. It can cause anxiety. This is very difficult for most of us, so turn the clock away from your eyes so you would have to turn it to see the time. You may decide not to make the effort and go right back to sleep.
If you can't get to sleep for over 30 minutes, get out of bed and do something boring in dim light till you are sleepy.

Great tips to keep in mind

Sleep is as important as food and air. Quantity and quality are very important. Most adults need between 7.5 to 8.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep. If you press the snooze button on the alarm in the morning you are not getting enough sleep. This could be due to not enough time in bed, external disturbances, or a sleep disorder.
Keep regular hours. Try to go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time every day. Getting up at the same time is most important. Getting bright light, like the sun, when you get up will also help. Try to go to bed only when you are sleepy. Bright light in the morning at a regular time should help you feel sleepy at the same time every night.
Stay away from stimulants like caffeine. This will help you get deep sleep which is most refreshing. If you take any caffeine, take it in the morning. Avoid all stimulants in the evening, including chocolate, caffeinated sodas, and caffeinated teas. They will delay sleep and increase arousals during the night.
Use the bed for sleeping. Avoid watching TV or using laptop computers. Know that reading in bed can be a problem if the material is very stimulation and you read with a bright light. If it helps to read before sleep make sure you use a very small wattage bulb to read. A 15 watt bulb should be enough. Bright light from these activities may inhibit sleep.

Sleep Deprivation

You should wake up refreshed in the morning without the use of an alarm clock and feel energetic all day. If not you will find some good tips in this blog.

Sleep deprivation is a large proportion of the problem is due to the high pacedlifestyle causing the lack of time to get the sleep we need. When we do not get the amount of sleep we need we accumulate a sleep debt. This sleep debt has to be paid back or sleepiness will continue toworsen. Many people try to pay back thedebt on the weekends resulting in thedisruption of their circadian rhythm.

Some Suggestions for Sounder Sleep

A few suggestions for a sounder sleep:

Choose your mattress and pillow with care. Some people like a hard mattress, others soft. Find the one that's right for you. Similarly, with a pillow, try a cervical pillow for better neck support; if that doesn't help, try something different. There's no right combination for everyone. Find the one that suits you.
Some people find that satin sheets or pyjamas in a slippery material are a great sleep aid: Because you can slide more easily into a more comfortable position, you're not fighting the covers every time you roll over.
Speaking of rolling over, try sleeping on your side, rather than on your stomach or back. Some positions just seem to be more 'sleep-inducing' than others; again, find the one that's right for you.
In cold weather, several layers of blankets can seem unbearably heavy on sensitive joints. Try using an electric blanket instead, but be sure to keep the heat set to a low level. The ideal room temperature for sleeping is between 64 and 66 degrees Fahrenheit (18 and 19 degrees Celsius). You'll find you sleep better, with fewer awakenings, in cool, but not cold, conditions, but find the ideal temperature for yourself: Not everyone sleeps equally well at the same temperature.
It may sound obvious, but try to keep your bedroom quiet. If your sleep is already light because of pain, any sudden or sharp noise could wake you up. If you live in a noisy building or have buses revving just outside your door, try earplugs, and an eyeshade will cut the glare from streetlights or the full moon.
Some people are tempted to take sleeping pills to induce sleep. If it's only now and then, or for a period of particular pain and stress, such as when you're going through a flare, it's probably not a bad idea, but don't get into the habit. Not only will it make it extremely difficult to maintain your 'natural' sleeping pattern without the pills, over time they'll gradually lose their effectiveness, and you'll need to take increasing dosages to get the same effect; that will also expose you to side effects from the medication as time goes on. One further consideration: Studies have shown that sleeping pills only decrease the amount of time it takes to fall asleep by a third, so, if it normally takes you a half-hour to drop off, taking a pill will only put you out 10 minutes faster, which seems hardly worth the cost and risks.
The same holds true for a couple of shots of brandy before bed. If that becomes a habit, you may have a new problem on your hands. Moreover, alcohol actually interferes with normal sleeping patterns if it's consumed in sufficient quantities. Go for the Ovaltine instead. And by all means avoid caffeinated drinks before bedtime (for some people, from late afternoon on): Coffee, tea, and soft drinks that contain caffeine are stimulants, and could keep you awake. The same holds for cigarettes.
Don't go to bed hungry, or you may wake in the middle of the night with hunger pangs gnawing at your stomach. A light snack — warm milk or Ovaltine with crackers is a good choice — should be soothing and help increase drowsiness.

Sleep Aids for Children- PART 2

Sleep My Child CD - By Various - This disk is everything the name implies and much more. Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino and English lullabies are performed with enough gentle simplicity to charm a child and enough elegance and artistry to delight grownups. Artists include: Robbie Solomon, Rosalie Gerut, Judy Frankel and more.
A collection of tapes and CD's with soothing Lullabies, bedtime stories and sleep inducing sounds - From Kidstuff Records
Books on Sleep from Just for Kids Bookstore (Search on "sleep" and the age of your child)
Life Systems Sweet Dreams Aromatherapy Night Light for Children (UK) - The Aromatherapy Nighlight is a new diffuser that is specially designed for use in a child's bedroom. It incorporates the benefits of aromatherapy with a comforting night light to help settle restless children.
Norelco Baby Naptime Sound Selector - Features soft, calming sounds to help baby sleep. Combination sound conditioner, 5 x 7 picture frame and moon nightlight. Five digitally recorded sounds include lullaby, heartbeat, soft sound, rain and ocean. Norelco Consumer Product Co. 800-243-7884, ext. 6237
Child -Sized Pillows - The Therapeutica Pillow From a health perspective, few things in life are more important than restful sleep. Sleeping on a high quality, therapeutically correct pillow should start in early childhood and continue throughout life.

Sleep Aids for Children- PART 1

Sleep Tight Video - Help for Parents of Babies and Toddlers with Sleep Problems!
Baby Go To Sleep Tapes - The Tapes were developed during two years of interactive research with major hospitals. An actual human heartbeat is the rhythm (drums) for special arrangements of traditional lullabies, nursery songs and Christian children's songs. Three equally effective versions of musical therapy are available to stop children from crying, soothe symptoms of colic and help get children to sleep through the night without having to let them cry.
Andyroo’s Dream Tapes for Children - Children’s sleep tapes that are unlike any others! They are designed to help your child relax and fall asleep in their own dreamworld.
Sleepy Time System - from Duke University to teach kids about sleep & to teach proper sleep routines.
Lullabies for Little Dreamers, The Sandman, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Tapes and CD's from Kevin Roth Music.
Sweet Dreams CD - This CD contains soothing music for both adults and babies alike. Many parents already swear by its ability to relax crying babies and relieve stress and tension.
Happy Baby Sounds To Delight Your Baby - Baby Sounds - A recording offering background sounds to aid parents in facilitating the process of modeling infant behavior, especially in the areas of mood and sleep. Baby Sounds is composed of two distinct halves: “Awake Time” is full of happy babies to help brighten infant mood and stimulate auditory responses from infants and toddlers; the second half, “Sleep Time,” is intended to help babies fall asleep through inclusion of sounds associated with infant and toddler slumber.

A common sleep problem- noise

Noise – People who live in a noisy area, especially areas of heavy motor vehicle or aircraft traffic, should try to find ways to reduce the sound. Ear plugs can help in this situation and when your sleeping partner is one who snores. Heavy curtains on the windows of your bedroom may help reduce noise and have the added benefit of blocking out bothersome light. Some homes may need additional insulation in the walls and ceiling to provide a higher level of soundproofing. Some companies sell white noise machines to drown out distracting noises. Noisy neighbors can be frustrating, however becoming upset is going to keep you awake as much as the noise.

Allergies- a sleeping problem

Allergies and sensitivities – While most people know when they suffer from a food allergy, some food sensitivities are difficult to pinpoint. The foods most commonly associated with sensitivities and allergic reaction are wheat, eggs, dairy products, sugar, coffee, chocolate, and oranges, as well as, chemicals and other additives.
The key to discovering if you have a food sensitivity or allergy is awareness. Start noticing your reactions to what you eat and drink. Pay special attention to those foods you consume every day, as well as those you crave. You may feel stimulated or down after eating or drinking. Your skin may itch. Try cutting that food or drink from your diet for a couple of weeks and see what difference that makes.

Embrace the dark side! (not in that way!)

Embrace the "dark side" – Artificial light effects the quality and quantity of sleep. Even very small light sources, such as LED alarm clocks can interfere with sleep. To help you sleep and stay asleep, invest in room-darkening window shades or heavy curtains and turn bright clocks toward the wall. Some people find that wearing a dark-colored sleep mask is helpful in blocking the light. And some newer sleep masks are made of a magnetic material that relaxes the eyes, eyelids, the facial muscles, and for some, have the additional benefit of opening their sinus passages.

Your bedroom – should offer a warm, welcoming, peaceful atmosphere. The color of the room can influence your visual senses. Choose colors that are calming. Avoid colors that are stimulating. Your bed should be comfortable, but firm. Soft mattresses are not good for your back. Your pillow should hold your neck and head at a natural angle. While not well known in America as yet, magnetic/far infrared sleep systems offer an entirely new approach to getting a good night’s sleep. Room temperature should we moderately warm, not too hot or too cold. When possible, fresh air circulating through the room can be a blessing. Complaints such as nausea, rashes, stress, depression, and headaches have been found to be related to factors like artificial lighting, air-conditioning, static electricity from synthetic fabrics and furniture. More and more, we find synthetic fibers used in bed linen, nightclothes and so on. If you believe you might be sensitive to synthetics it may be time you try natural fabrics in your bedroom.

Tips for a good night sleep

Take a bath – What could be more relaxing that a warm bath in the evening? A warm (not too hot!) bath can relieve the mental and physical stresses of the day and help you sleep. Aromatherapy oils such as lavender, chamomile, and hops make a pleasant addition to your bath water, and can lead to a better night’s sleep. You’ll receive the soothing benefit while you relax, breathing in the vapors as your body absorbs the oils.

Keeping a sleep diary – can provide a significant step in dealing with sleep challenges. They idea here, is to discover how much sleep you actually do get each night. The estimates we make in the morning are very likely to be inaccurate. While this may be rather bothersome to begin with, if you keep it up, it may prove to be worthwhile…especially if it helps you to overcome your sleep challenges. Entries in your sleep diary should include; time you went to bed, time(s) you awoke during the night, time you awoke in the morning, the date, any medications you took at bedtime, and space for comments.

Sniff a soothing scent – Jasmine or lavender-scented rooms cause many people to sleep more soundly than those sleeping in odorless rooms. Interestingly, people sleeping with jasmine-scent report less anxiety upon rising and may perform better. A dish of jasmine or lavender potpourri or a single spritz of scent is about all that is needed. A little goes a long way. Jasmine is one of the most expensive essential oils. You will need only a drop or two.

Interesting facts!

Depression and insomnia often go hand in hand.

The fact that work performance suffers as sleeplessness goes up needs no substantiation—we all know this from experience.

A person who is 20% sleep deprived has the mental acuity of a person who is legally drunk. By the way, CEOs often brag about how "hard" they "work" and how little sleep they get—4 to 6 hours is common. Now you know why layoffs happen—a bunch of drunks run most of our corporations.

Sleep deficits cause a dulling of the mind, irritability, and loss of focus. If you are having problems with grasping new information, dealing with others, or concentrating, consider sleep deficit a prime area to address.

Sleeping aids for the nose and face

RoEzIt - A non-greasy skin moisturizer with aloe vera and emu oil to relieve nasal dryness, chaffing and skin irritation associated with oxygen and CPAP therapy.

PeeperSleepers -The Satin Sleeping Mask, are uniquely designed sleeping masks with a soft black satin backing. The light weight padding sandwiched in the middle makes PeeperSleepers the most comfortable sleeping mask we've ever worn. PeeperSleepers patented dual elastic strap system holds the mask securely even while sleeping. The straps are adjustable making PeeperSleepers one size fits all.
PeeperSleepers are available in a variety of colors and prints. The Endangered Species Edition features 7 different animals including Tigers, Owls, Cheetahs, Seals, and Pandas. Prices range from $7.95 to $12.95.

Snoring

This is a list of useful items to help reduce snoring...

PillowPositive is a unique positional sleeping aid - a patented cervical pillow that has been clinically tested and shown to be helpful in reducing snoring. PillowPositive encourages you to position your head so that snoring is reduced whether sleeping on your back or in a side position.
Chin-Up Strip -- Dale Miller, Inc. has been assigned two U.S. Patents and Registered TradeMarks. CHIN-UP STRIP gently keeps your “CHIN-UP” during sleep and naturally directs the breathing air flow through the nose instead of through the mouth. For some people, the location of the cheek tabs along the side of the nose helps keep the nasal passages open too. The chin-up portion is applied below the bottom lip and keeps the jaw from dropping down.

Harmony sleep companion with silent alarm - The Sharper Image - Your spouse will like what it does for your snoring. You'll like its gentle alarm.

Snoreless Spray - Eliminates the noise associated with snoring

Sound Conditioners- part 2

Burltech Ultra Heart and Sound Soother - Sharper Image. The perfect escape from a hectic, noisy world. Discover an easy way to escape from the constant din of modern life. With the press of a button, you’re transported to a tropical cruise. Press another button to hear rain falling in a lush forest full of exotic birds. Other buttons calm you with rhythmic ocean waves and surf, neutral white noise, a soothing heartbeat sound, and more.
Sharper Image CD Radio/Alarm Clock with Sound Soother - When selecting sounds to sleep or wake by -- at home or away -- you can't beat our versatile new bedside companion. This compact, portable AM/FM radio/alarm clock features a Sound Soother® and a dual-speaker stereo CD player. The digital Sound Soother offers realistic, tranquil sound environments Seaside, Summer Night, Rain, and Brook. Set the auto shutoff when falling asleep to the Sound Soother -- or to the radio or your favorite CD. To wake you, choose a buzzer alarm, soothing sounds, radio, or a CD.

Sound Conditioners- part 1

Marpac Sound Conditioners - Fall Asleep to the Soothing Sounds of Nature
Norelco Natural Sound Selector - Six digitally recorded sounds to help you unwind, create a peaceful environment and relax. Soothing sounds include ocean, rain, brook, heartbeat, soft sound outdoors. Norelco Consumer Product Co. 800-243-7884, ext. 6237
Norelco Executive Sound Selector - Sound conditioner and digital alarm clock. Six digitally recorded sounds to help you fall asleep, concentrate and relax. Helps mask unwanted noise. Soothing sounds include ocean, rain, brook, waterfall, soft sound outdoors. Norelco Consumer Product Co. 800-243-7884, ext. 6237
Timex Nature Sounds Clock - Timex® nature sounds AM/FM clock radio with Indiglo® night light. Triple alarm allows you to wake up to the radio, a buzzer alarm or one of four nature sounds. Wake and sleep to different volume levels. Hourly chime with on/off control. Calendar with month and date. Snooze alarm with 9-minute intervals.

Music and Aromatherapy for Sleep

Sleepmachines - High Quality sound CD's designed to put you to sleep. All recordings are done with high quality , professional digital recording equipment. With all recordings, the process from start to finish stays in the digital domain. Much care is taken to make sure the sounds are as rich, full, and is as life like as possible.
Deep Sleep & Sweet Dreams Tape - These tapes contain the latest technology to achieve and offer support for appropriate sleep patterns. This tape will provide assure you a good night's sleep, problem solving, refreshment and renewal.
Relaxation Devices - Light and sound brain wave entrainment equipment. Our machines are also referred to as bio-feedback devices, relaxation devices and light / sound instruments.
The Mind Machine Page - If you are interested in meditation, hypnosis, or deep relaxation as means for stress reduction and self improvement, you will love the mind machine experience. Mind machines are tools for gently inducing a calm, centered, and euphoric state. They produce psychedelic mandala like patterns on the back of your eyelids and soothe your senses with drum like sound pulses.
Mind Machines for accelerated learning and relaxation - Elixa has many products that can help people of all ages improve their ability to concentrate, learn, create, and cope.
Voyager Light and Sound Machines By Theta Technologies - The Voyager is a powerful aid for spiritual, personal and mental evolution.
Life Systems Aromatherapy Diffusers (UK)- Simply choose your preferred fragrance and switch the unit on. Within seconds you will be able to enjoy the delightful fragrance and benefits of pure essential oils.

Music for Sleep

Check out this list I found with a whole bunch of items that are made to help sleep stress-free.
Each item has a link that leads to more information.
SleepNowCD - SleepNowCD is an audio CD which is musical, relaxing and trance-like. The musical piece is encoded with sonic energy that acts to reconnect the mind with the body (Sonic Biofeedback), to discharge stress and anxiety. It is designed to be used while lying down in a horizontal position and should be used with headphones.
Quanta Dynamics’ unique The Gift of Sleep&tm; program for reducing stress and enabling optimal sleep. This program works to increase the quality and effectiveness of your sleep even when you are not able to sleep as much as you would like.
Easy Sleep - Tapes for insomnia from Hypnosis Concepts - This tape contains two thirty minute hypnosis sessions designed to relax the mind, body and emotions so that you drift off into a nice easy sleep and wake feeling refreshed afterwards.
Sleep Well with Biofeedback - Dr. Peter Hauri, a leading expert in insomnia and sleep disorders, teaches sleep inducing techniques, good sleep habits, and relaxation. Two cassettes. Packaged w/GSR2 Device.
Sleep better without drugs program tapes - helps you to change the habit of sleeping poorly into the habit of sleeping better.
Sleep Like a Baby Sleep System - The Sleep Like A Baby Sleep System works based on four natural simple principles. Gentle Acupressure (not acupuncture) applied with an easy to use head band, Sound Reduction, achieved with ultra soft easy to apply ear plugs that are not noticed or felt while being used, Reduction of Outside Visual Interference achieved with a simple eye cover, and a Relaxing Aroma one that has been tried and proven by the aroma therapy crowd and does cause maximum relaxation.

Sleep aids for the head and neck

The Head and Neck
PillowPositive is a unique positional sleeping aid - a patented cervical pillow that has been clinically tested and shown to be helpful in reducing snoring. PillowPositive encourages you to position your head so that snoring is reduced whether sleeping on your back or in a side position.
The Nelson Sound Sleeper - The Nelson Sound Sleeper is an ergonomic pillow with optional internal speakers. It is designed to support the entire body from the lumbar to the head. The Sound Sleeper provides an inclined sleeping position which supports the spine in its natural curvature while a person is sleeping on the back. Its unique and patented design allows the sleeper to roll to either side and supports the body in such a way that it takes the pressure off the shoulder and distributes the weight along the head, neck, shoulder, and rib cage. Since music can be heard through the pillow, both back and side sleeping positions provide a pleasant and restful environment.

Bedtime drinks

Some people find a warm bedtime drink to be comforting, however, it is very important to avoid drinking too much late in the evening. This can be especially true for older people. Getting up during the night to go to the bathroom disturbs your sleep cycle. Avoid tea and coffee in the evening, as these are stimulants and can keep you awake. A small amount of alcohol can act as a relaxant and help you sleep. However, drinking every night and heavy drinking disturb sleep and can cause early waking. To digest alcohol, your liver and kidneys have to work hard. Your body has to provide more adrenaline, which is a stimulant.

some simple ideas to help you go to sleep..

1. Start making it dark in your house or apartment earlier in the evening than you normally do.
Avoid a quick spell in the gym doing five hundred press ups, or a couple of hours playing the latest 'Axe-Murdering-Car-Jacker III' computer game just before your bed-time.
Think about how our ancestors got ready to go to sleep - they finished their working day, they had some grub and maybe did a little gentle frolicking in the hay, it got dark, and then they went to sleep.
These patterns are built into our DNA. If you divert from them you will not be following or satisfying your body's natural urges. Think about your lifestyle, especially what you do as bed-time approaches.

2. Eat some carbohydrate before bedtime. Carbohydrate foods are things like potatoes, rice, pasta, porridge oats, bread.
Twelve hours could pass between your evening meal and breakfast. If you are hungry while asleep this will not help you to stay asleep.

3. Drink warm milk with a spoonful of honey before retiring to bed.
Alcohol is a temporary crutch and not a sustainable cure for insomnia.
Fizzy pop or squash drinks with millions of additives are not particularly conducive to a good night's sleep either. Ditto Red Bull, coffee, etc., use your common sense.

4. When you are in bed, try this relaxation technique:
It's best to start with your face. Relax your jaw. Make sure your mouth is slightly open.
Really concentrate on relaxing your face. It will be tense almost certainly - relax it.
If you are worried about sleeping, or anything else, you face will be tense, and this makes it very difficult to get to sleep, so relax all of your face. When your face is fully relaxed you can imagine and feel your worries drifting away.

Imagine them floating away into the distance until they disappear.
Like clouds. Or bubbles.
There they go..... all gone.
Especially relax your jaw and your forehead - and open your mouth a little.
Then work you way up from toes, ankles, knees, etc.
Relax each section before moving on to the next.
Check every now and then that your face and jaw and forehead are still relaxed, and if worries reappear imagine them drifting away again until they disappear.