If you are having a hard time falling asleep at night, you don't have to grab for some sleeping pills, be it over the counter stuff like Tylenol PM, or prescription medication.
There are quite a few natural things you can do to improve your sleep.
Give a few of them a try and see if you don't start sleeping like a baby.
Get Up Earlier You may be tempted to sleep in after not being able to go to sleep in the first place.
Avoid the temptation.
It will only get you in the habit of not going to sleep at night and then needing to sleep in again the next morning.
Tough it out and you'll be more likely to go to sleep at a decent hour the following night, getting the rest you need.
Eat Healthy Eating healthy will help you sleep better.
Above all avoid fatty, greasy foods at night and don't eat anything heavy or large amounts of food in the few hours before bedtime.
It is much harder to fall asleep with a full stomach and if you do manage to fall asleep you are more likely to have nightmares or wake up.
Get Some Exercise If you are having trouble falling asleep, incorporate some simple exercises like going for a walk around the block or doing a few push ups and sit ups in front of the TV.
The exercise will wear your body out, while pumping plenty of blood and endorphins through your body.
Don't exercise right before you go to bed though.
The elevated heart rate you get during and immediately after working out will keep you from going to sleep.
Allow your body to "calm down" for at least 2 hours before calling it a night.
Fresh Air Fresh air seems to work well for getting you to sleep.
Get plenty of fresh air during the day, by working in the yard or going for a walk.
Then try sleeping with an open window for even more fresh air all through the night.
Stop Caffeine Early In The Day Caffeine has a stimulating effect - that's why we drink coffee in the morning to wake up.
If you are having trouble falling asleep, skip the caffeinated drinks - including most sodas, tea and coffee - after lunch.
That should give your body plenty of time to get the caffeine out of the system, allowing you nod off into dreamland.
Skip The Nap If you didn't sleep much or not at all the night before, you may be very tempted to catch a nap during the day.
It may make you feel better at first, but you'll be even more likely to toss and turn the next night.
Try making it through the day without a nap and lay down at your regular bedtime.
You'll be more likely to get back into a regular sleeping schedule if you skip the nap.