Here are several strategies that a person can use to get better nights sleep:

- Establish a routine. When you change the timing of your sleep, you affect your circadian rhythm: the internal clock that guides sleep patterns. Research demonstrates that going to bed late upsets your circadian rhythm, but the time you wake up has an even greater impact on your sleep cycle. More that any other strategy, having a regular schedule will improve the quality of your sleep. As much as possible, go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning, even on weekends.
- Manage your stress. Stress and sleep problems are strongly linked. Evaluate your experience of stress and learn and use effective stress- management strategies.
- Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant. It can help people fall asleep by slowing down body processes. As the alcohol is eliminated from the body there is a rebound stimulant effect, which can result in night-time waking, vivid dreams or fitful sleep.
- Avoid heavy meals at night. These can contribute to difficulty falling asleep. On the other hand, having a light snack (e.g. cereal, cheese and crackers) can help. Studies reveal that high carbohydrate meals late in the day can induce sleepiness. 
- Avoid caffeine late in the day. Caffeine can interfere with your ability to fall asleep and get deep sleep, the type that boosts the immune system and allows you to feel refreshed. The average half-life of caffeine is 5 hours, which means that in 5 hours, the level of caffeine in the blood is decreased by half. This means that significant levels of caffeine can remain in your blood far into the night, when it can interfere with
your ability to have quality sleep. Eliminate caffeine later in the day. You can set a cut-off time of 3 p.m., or even better…noon.
- Don’t nap. If you nap during the day you may not be sufficiently tired to fall asleep at night. Contain all your sleeping time to one period. However, as people age, night-time sleep decreases in quality. Therefore, napping may be beneficial for the elderly.
- Get regular exercise. Exercise challenges the body and promotes restorative sleep. Research shows that a regular exercise regime helps
people fall asleep faster and stay asleep. Exercise stimulates the body, so donÕt do it late at night or it may negatively affect sleep.
- Use the bed only for sex, sleep, or when you are sick.
Watching television or eating in bed can alter how a person perceives his or her
bed and possibly make it difficult to fall asleep.
- Take a warm bath. Falling asleep is connected to a drop in body temperature. Your body temperature drops when you get out of the bath and this helps you fall asleep.
- Don’t worry about not getting much sleep. One study found that those who worry about their difficulty sleeping start a cycle of negative thoughts that contributes to more problems sleeping.
- Make your bedroom sleep friendly. The best conditions for sleep are a cool (not too hot or cold), quiet environment. The bed should be
comfortable, firm and the right size. Exposure to light during sleep decreases the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that stimulates
sleepiness. Even brief exposure to bright light can disturb the quality of sleep. Make sure your room is dark, with curtains that block out light.
- Turn your alarm clock to the wall.
Some people keep checking the clock to follow their sleep (or lack of sleep) progress. As the hours pass, this can contribute to anxiety from not sleeping. Make it a habit to avoid looking at the time.
- Avoid stimulating activities in the evening. These include exercise, watching a scary movie or reading a really good book. Instead, do something relaxing before bedtime.
- Don’t drink too much liquid in the evening. This can contribute to night-time awakenings to go to the bathroom.
- Plan worry time. If you are a person who worries about things at bedtime, put some worry time aside in the early evening to get things off  your mind. Have a pen and paper available to write down all your worries and what you will do about them. Don’t spend too much time doing this or you may get yourself worked up. Fifteen minutes should be sufficient. Also, put a pad and pen next to your bed to write down concerns that stop you from falling asleep when you are in bed. As you put things down on paper, tell yourself that you don’t need to think
about them anymore since they are already noted and it will do no good to continue worrying.
- Learn to relax. Relaxation techniques, such as progressive relaxation and meditation, can help you fall asleep
- Try to stay awake. One study found that trying to stay awake as long as possible
can have the opposite effect and help people fall asleep.
- Don’t try too hard. If you find that you can’t sleep after 20 minutes, get up and
do something relaxing like listening to music or reading something light. After 20 minutes or so, go back to bed. Some people find that doing the most boring thing they can think of can put them in the mood for sleep.
- Avoid sleeping pills. Although sleeping pills can be beneficial in some situations, their regular use is discouraged. Taking medications to fall asleep does not get to the heart of the problem. Rebound insomnia can occur when a person stops taking sleeping pills. Also, some sleeping pills disturb REM sleep, which is the part of the sleep cycle that is important for feeling refreshed, rested and rejuvenated in the morning.